Motorized iPhone periscope camera could offer optical image stabilization, autofocus

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited August 2023

The expected periscope camera system in a future iPhone could include actuators, allowing the lens to move for autofocus and optical image stabilization applications, without requiring a massive camera bump increase.

A folding camera system used by Samsung.
A folding camera system used by Samsung.



Apple's use of a triple camera system in the iPhone 12 Pro gives a wide optical zoom range to its users. The use of three camera sensors is needed in such cases, as there's not enough thickness in the device to enable a zoom lens to be used.

One way around that is a concept that has started to surface in some devices, referred to as periscope cameras and folded cameras, as used in Samsung's Galaxy S20. These systems rely on an arrangement of lenses that reflect light at an angle, taking advantage of the width of the smartphone rather than the thickness.

Apple has been rumored to be working on a form of folding camera, intended for use in a future iPhone model.

A simplified example of a folding camera lens arrangement.
A simplified example of a folding camera lens arrangement.



While doing so can enable extremely long focal lengths, it does still rely on other elements to function. Chiefly, to allow for a range of focal lengths, the lens arrangement must be able to move, which entails creating a way to mount the lenses and to shift them around.

In a newly granted patent titled "Folded camera with actuator for moving optics," Apple comes up with a number of ways to include folded optics and lens-shifting capabilities in a device.

In various embodiments, Apple suggests that the system could consist of two prisms, with a lens group of multiple elements between the pair. The prisms divert light along an axis to an imaging sensor, while the lens group handles various optical functions.

The lens group could be held in an inner carrier structure, which itself is connected to an outer carrier structure. Both structures can be moved, with one moving at right angles to the other, allowing for a lot of changes in angle and placement of the lens arrangement.

The patent deals with ways to mount or suspend the lens arrangements to offer OIS and autofocus capabilities.
The patent deals with ways to mount or suspend the lens arrangements to offer OIS and autofocus capabilities.



There is the suggestion a voice coil motor actuator could be used to move the two carriers together, to provide autofocus capabilities. A second and third VCM actuator could be used to shift the inner carrier structure relative to the outer one, to provide optical image stabilization.

Some variations of the theme describes actuator modules that use one or multiple magnets or coils. Leaf springs and suspension wires could also be incorporated into the suspension arrangement to allow the movement of the carriers freely, as well as to return them to a base position.

The patent lists its inventors as Nicholas D. Smyth, Alfred N. Mireault, Scott W. Miller, and Shashank Sharma. It was originally filed on January 25, 2019.

Apple files numerous patent applications on a weekly basis, but while the existence of a patent indicates areas of interest for Apple's research and development purposes, they don't guarantee the idea will appear in a future product or service.

In 2016, a patent floated for a compact lens system that used a mirror to reflect light at an angle just once, giving a small increase in distance while still employing a closely-held collection of lenses. In 2019, it had updated the concept with a stack of lenses and a prism, still continuing to shoot at a 90-degree angle rather than operating like a periscope.

In January 2021, a patent for a "camera including two light folding elements" proposed using two prisms either side of a lens system, similar to the newest patent. A second July patent for the year covered the same sort of concept again.

The August folded camera patent differs from the others as it largely handles the mechanics of mounting and moving the lens arrangements, rather than covering the basic idea of folded cameras itself.

Read on AppleInsider

hmm888

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 11
    If this results in an optical zoom capability competitive with a SLR camera, not to mention optical stabilization, this would be huge.
  • Reply 2 of 11
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,335member
    Hey Siri ... Up Periscope.
    MacPro
  • Reply 3 of 11
    hmm888hmm888 Posts: 23member
    TomPMRI said:
    If this results in an optical zoom capability competitive with a SLR camera, not to mention optical stabilization, this would be huge.
    Umm. No. Only someone who doesn't know anything about DSLRs  and who still calls them SLRs would think this is possible. 
    williamlondon
  • Reply 4 of 11
    hmm888hmm888 Posts: 23member
    I think this is good for Apple. In the past, Android reigned supreme, in particular Samsung in the area of optical and imagery of smartphones.

    Apple finally GETS it. Their users want a GOOD smartphone camera, not just ok. Virtually any smartphone, regardless of price these days, arguably takes GREAT pics in daylight.

    We are seeing Samsung no longer as the leader. We have Google Pixel and *cough* Huawei doing better than Samsung. Of course, Sony with their fanboys (there's only a few of them left) will troll the web and their social circle promoting the next Sony Xperia phone with it's ridiculous price tag. 

    In any event, these improvements will result in a basic premium iPhone model costing more than $2000 US. The mobile phone industry will continue to brainwash  condition consumers that this is an acceptable price to pay. Mobile providers will continue to be creative in their financing options. And finally, this pandemic will not end for many more years thanks to selfish governments who ignore science and prioritize their career, the economy, and covidiots over the health and safety of everyone. 
    edited August 2021 williamlondon
  • Reply 5 of 11
    We'll see how these moving parts deal with vibration - say from a motorcycle mount.   Even the best mounts don't kill vibration.
  • Reply 6 of 11
    tmaytmay Posts: 6,312member
    hmm888 said:
    I think this is good for Apple. In the past, Android reigned supreme, in particular Samsung in the area of optical and imagery of smartphones.

    Apple finally GETS it. Their users want a GOOD smartphone camera, not just ok. Virtually any smartphone, regardless of price these days, arguably takes GREAT pics in daylight.

    We are seeing Samsung no longer as the leader. We have Google Pixel and *cough* Huawei doing better than Samsung. Of course, Sony with their fanboys (there's only a few of them left) will troll the web and their social circle promoting the next Sony Xperia phone with it's ridiculous price tag. 

    In any event, these improvements will result in a basic premium iPhone model costing more than $2000 US. The mobile phone industry will continue to brainwash  condition consumers that this is an acceptable price to pay. Mobile providers will continue to be creative in their financing options. And finally, this pandemic will not end for many more years thanks to selfish governments who ignore science and prioritize their career, the economy, and covidiots over the health and safety of everyone. 
    Not surprising that a device that some people are using consistently throughout the day, almost around the clock, which still has another life after refurbishment in the secondary market, would be useful enough be valued at $2k.

    Almost certainly the most bang for the buck that some people get in their lives.

    Yet you spoil your rant with statement that "Apple finally gets it", as if Apple hasn't been rapidly evolving image and video capture on the iPhone, just not rapidly enough for you, it would seem.


    edited August 2023 JinTechroundaboutnowwilliamlondon
  • Reply 7 of 11
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 7,625member
    "rapidly"??? 

    No. I'm sorry but that adverb is quite out of place here. 

    You are replying to a post made in August 2021 on an article on the subject of an iPhone periscope lens from the same year. 

    Huawei brought its first periscope lens to the flagship market in April 2019.

    It is now August 2023 and Apple users are still waiting for a periscope lens. Four and a half years after Huawei. 

    It is drip feeding camera advances to users. 

    Yes, they are catching up but in phone terms, it's taken forever.

    This is where we are today:

    https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/news/huawei-p60-pro-takes-dxomark-top-spot-and-were-not-surprised

    Tomorrow (September 2023) the Mate 60 series will be launched. 
  • Reply 8 of 11
    tmaytmay Posts: 6,312member
    avon b7 said:
    "rapidly"??? 

    No. I'm sorry but that adverb is quite out of place here. 

    You are replying to a post made in August 2021 on an article on the subject of an iPhone periscope lens from the same year. 

    Huawei brought its first periscope lens to the flagship market in April 2019.

    It is now August 2023 and Apple users are still waiting for a periscope lens. Four and a half years after Huawei. 

    It is drip feeding camera advances to users. 

    Yes, they are catching up but in phone terms, it's taken forever.

    This is where we are today:

    https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/news/huawei-p60-pro-takes-dxomark-top-spot-and-were-not-surprised

    Tomorrow (September 2023) the Mate 60 series will be launched. 
    LOL!

    Huawei has been taking the top spot in imaging at DXO for years, and Apple has been collecting almost all of the profits since the iPhone appeared, essentially selling 200 million plus flagships a year, notably with leading video capabilities on top of leading performance and efficiency. How can that be?

    Huawei, selling a few millions over the years at best, of boutique flagships with telescopic lenses, and yet, hasn't really ever established much of a flagship market, based on ASP.

    Terrific business model for China's Tech Champion.
    edited August 2023 williamlondon
  • Reply 9 of 11
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 7,625member
    tmay said:
    avon b7 said:
    "rapidly"??? 

    No. I'm sorry but that adverb is quite out of place here. 

    You are replying to a post made in August 2021 on an article on the subject of an iPhone periscope lens from the same year. 

    Huawei brought its first periscope lens to the flagship market in April 2019.

    It is now August 2023 and Apple users are still waiting for a periscope lens. Four and a half years after Huawei. 

    It is drip feeding camera advances to users. 

    Yes, they are catching up but in phone terms, it's taken forever.

    This is where we are today:

    https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/news/huawei-p60-pro-takes-dxomark-top-spot-and-were-not-surprised

    Tomorrow (September 2023) the Mate 60 series will be launched. 
    LOL!

    Huawei has been taking the top spot in imaging at DXO for years, and Apple has been collecting almost all of the profits since the iPhone appeared, essentially selling 200 million plus flagships a year, notably with leading video capabilities on top of leading performance and efficiency. How can that be?

    Huawei, selling a few millions over the years at best, of boutique flagships with telescopic lenses, and yet, hasn't really ever established much of a flagship market, based on ASP.

    Terrific business model for China's Tech Champion.
    None of which has the slightest to with anything related to the point. 
  • Reply 10 of 11
    tmaytmay Posts: 6,312member
    avon b7 said:
    tmay said:
    avon b7 said:
    "rapidly"??? 

    No. I'm sorry but that adverb is quite out of place here. 

    You are replying to a post made in August 2021 on an article on the subject of an iPhone periscope lens from the same year. 

    Huawei brought its first periscope lens to the flagship market in April 2019.

    It is now August 2023 and Apple users are still waiting for a periscope lens. Four and a half years after Huawei. 

    It is drip feeding camera advances to users. 

    Yes, they are catching up but in phone terms, it's taken forever.

    This is where we are today:

    https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/news/huawei-p60-pro-takes-dxomark-top-spot-and-were-not-surprised

    Tomorrow (September 2023) the Mate 60 series will be launched. 
    LOL!

    Huawei has been taking the top spot in imaging at DXO for years, and Apple has been collecting almost all of the profits since the iPhone appeared, essentially selling 200 million plus flagships a year, notably with leading video capabilities on top of leading performance and efficiency. How can that be?

    Huawei, selling a few millions over the years at best, of boutique flagships with telescopic lenses, and yet, hasn't really ever established much of a flagship market, based on ASP.

    Terrific business model for China's Tech Champion.
    None of which has the slightest to with anything related to the point. 
    Sure it has. 

    Apple seldom adds features that can't be supported by the supply chain. I imagine that they will have a requirement for 20 million telescopic lens assemblies for the iPhone 15 Pro, and north of 60 million 48 MP imagers for the various iPhone 15 models. I also imagine that they waited until the prices were at a point where it made sense to buy volumes of components.

    Huawei is fine with paying premium prices in the supply chain to add features to a few hundreds of thousands of devices, but Apple isn't.

    Just as an aside, Apple was about a year behind the competition in providing 5G, but was almost certainly the first that made a complete transition to 5G in its models.

    Oh, and no 5G for that P60; that must suck...
    edited August 2023 williamlondon
  • Reply 11 of 11
    avon b7avon b7 Posts: 7,625member
    tmay said:
    avon b7 said:
    tmay said:
    avon b7 said:
    "rapidly"??? 

    No. I'm sorry but that adverb is quite out of place here. 

    You are replying to a post made in August 2021 on an article on the subject of an iPhone periscope lens from the same year. 

    Huawei brought its first periscope lens to the flagship market in April 2019.

    It is now August 2023 and Apple users are still waiting for a periscope lens. Four and a half years after Huawei. 

    It is drip feeding camera advances to users. 

    Yes, they are catching up but in phone terms, it's taken forever.

    This is where we are today:

    https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/news/huawei-p60-pro-takes-dxomark-top-spot-and-were-not-surprised

    Tomorrow (September 2023) the Mate 60 series will be launched. 
    LOL!

    Huawei has been taking the top spot in imaging at DXO for years, and Apple has been collecting almost all of the profits since the iPhone appeared, essentially selling 200 million plus flagships a year, notably with leading video capabilities on top of leading performance and efficiency. How can that be?

    Huawei, selling a few millions over the years at best, of boutique flagships with telescopic lenses, and yet, hasn't really ever established much of a flagship market, based on ASP.

    Terrific business model for China's Tech Champion.
    None of which has the slightest to with anything related to the point. 
    Sure t has. 

    Apple seldom adds features that can't be supported by the supply chain. I imagine that they will have a requirement for 20 million telescopic lens assemblies for the iPhone 15 Pro, and north of 60 million 48 MP imagers for the various iPhone 15 models. I also imagine that they waited until the prices were at a point where it made sense to buy volumes of components.

    Huawei is fine with paying premium prices in the supply chain to add features to a few hundreds of thousands of devices, but Apple isn't.

    Just as an aside, Apple was about a year behind the competition in providing 5G, but was almost certainly the first that made a complete transition to 5G in its models.

    Oh, and no 5G for that P60; that must suck...
    No. 

    It doesn't take four and a half years to pump up the supply chain and any iPhone periscope lens will take years to reach lower end models. It will be top end only on release. 

    Huawei flagships were selling in the millions, not hundreds of thousands. 

    5G is irrelevant here but Huawei has just seen five devices pass through a Chinese certification board and all of them are rumored to have 5G. Looks like a US company just lost a client for good. Broadcom probably. Maybe Qorvo too. 

    edited August 2023
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