Patent ID: 11960104
Assignee: CORNING INCORPORATED
Field: Optics (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 0:
1. A liquid lens system comprising:
a liquid lens having a chamber, containing a first fluid and a second fluid, wherein the first fluid and the second fluid are substantially immiscible to form a fluid interface between the first fluid and the second fluid, a first electrode insulated from the first and second fluids, the first electrode comprising four independently driven electrodes to position the fluid interface at different locations on different quadrants of the liquid lens, and a second electrode in electrical communication with the first fluid;
a settings and feedback controller coupled to the liquid lens that determines how to adjust the liquid lens and achieve target focal parameters;
a signal generator that receives control signals from the settings and feedback controller, generates voltage signals for the liquid lens, and supplies a voltage differential between the first electrode and the second electrode;
a lens sensor, that provides a signal to the settings and feedback controller, measures and outputs a value indicative of a position of the fluid interface, the lens sensor comprising a sampling capacitor, a current mirror that mirrors a current delivered to the first electrode and directs the mirrored current to the sampling capacitor, and a voltage detector that reads voltage value for the sampling capacitor,
wherein the fluid interface can be pulled further down a sidewall at a quadrant of one of the four independently driven electrodes, tilting the optical axis of the fluid interface relative to the longitudinal axis of the liquid lens; and
wherein by monitoring the position of the fluid interface on each of the four quadrants and adjusting a phase delay, the shape of the fluid interface can be controlled for implementation of the target focal parameters.