Patent ID: 11933949
Assignee: APPLE INC.
Field: Optics (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 18:
19. A camera, comprising, in order from an object side of the camera to an image side of the camera:
an optical system comprising:
a first freeform prism that includes:
a first surface, a second surface, and a third surface, wherein an optical axis of the optical system traverses the first surface, the second surface, and the third surface,
wherein an angle θ between the first surface of the first freeform prism and the second surface of the first freeform prism is less than or equal to 35 degrees,
wherein the first surface is configured to transmit light incident from an object side into the first freeform prism, and to internally reflect at least a portion of the light that is reflected back to the first surface from within the first freeform prism,
wherein the light incident into the first freeform prism from the object side has no more than two internal reflections within the first freeform prism,
wherein at least one of the first surface, the second surface, or the third surface of the first freeform prism is a freeform surface; and

a second freeform prism that includes:
a first surface, a second surface, and a third surface on the optical axis of the optical system, wherein at least one of the first surface, the second surface, or the third surface of the second freeform prism is another freeform surface; and

an image sensor configured to capture light projected onto a surface of the image sensor;

wherein the first freeform prism is configured to fold the optical axis of the optical system twice before transmitting light received from an object field on the object side of the camera to the second freeform prism; and
wherein the second freeform prism is configured to fold the optical axis of the optical system at least once before transmitting the light to form an image at an image plane at the surface of the image sensor and the light has no more than two internal reflections within the second freeform prism.