Abstract:
A combined lens module including plural lens modules deposited within a housing is provided. These lens modules include plural lenses and multiple apertures. Each lens has a main lens element for visible light and an associate lens element for invisible light. An image capturing-and-sensing assembly may be performed by equipping with such a combined lens module and a sensor for visible light and invisible light, which could have high-resolution and apply to a thin portable device or any environment in use of infrared structured lighting or light scanner for the applications of human-machine interactive.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the field of combined lens module, and especially relates to the combined lens module applied to slim opto-electronic device and image-capturing device, module, or apparatus. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In current field of emergent technology and technical applications, dramatic attention has been put on human mutual interactive via different machines and hence, a variety of platforms, either with simple wear device or through wireless communication, have been developed to improve the quality of human daily life and health. Indeed, the interactive is no more limited to common input-output devices (IOD). The evolution of input device was changed from real keyboard to touch panel, and then to gesture control smartly. On the other hand, the typical output device is monitor, liquid crystal display, and then touch panel, which is also an input device as mentioned. It is not a surprise that the input and output can be virtually interacted eventually. Of course, not the less to mention, the IOD with eye as well as the other human activity, say voice and body motion, are no more uncommon in real world. Indeed, in current days, mobile device, e.g., smart phone, has been widely used and new functions are embedded as driven by the demands of market and the consumers. Because the central role played by mobile devices is actually to extend the capability of input-output connectivity for human, it is expecting that gesture control will be fully implemented in our circumstance and environment. 
     In many applications of gesture control, infrared structured lighting is used. The main advantage of infrared light is its nature of non-visible characteristics and hence it will not interfere the activity of human, particularly for eyes, and the associated connectivity. Meanwhile, the inclusion of infrared wavelength for transmitters and receivers can enhance signal-to-noise in sensing and detecting for many circumstances. The use of structured lighting in different wavelength bands, even for thermal range, is also considering to be an effective means in applications. 
     As viewing of the demand of imaging apparatus, one will need to have the typical high-resolution camera module for common visual application while IR imaging camera module, even for thermal imaging, has to be included. Therefore, there is a need to integrate all imaging apparatuses in one single device. Accordingly, it is an important issue to develop an image-capturing module of multiple functions in a compact size for the smart mobile phone equipped with the generation of structured lighting. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     To meet the requirements aforementioned, a combined lens module is provided herein. The combined lens module includes a plurality of lenses, and each of the lenses has one or more lens elements to add the field of view for the combined lens module. 
     To meet the requirements aforementioned, a combined lens module and an image capturing-and-sensing assembly equipped therewith are provided herein. The combined lens module includes the plural lenses, and each of the lenses includes the lens elements for passing invisible light and visible light, respectively. The combined lens module can be equipped with a sensor capable of sensing the infrared light and the visible light simultaneously. Thus the combined lens module may receive the light data of the outside visible light and the outside invisible light, such as infrared light or thermal light. 
     To meet the requirements aforementioned, a combined lens module and the image capturing-and-sensing assembly equipped therewith are provided herein. The combined lens module includes a housing accommodating the plural lenses, and the housing has a compact size to fit into a thin mobile device or apparatus. 
     In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a combined lens module includes: a housing; and a plurality of lens modules deposited within the housing, the lens modules including a plurality of lenses and having a plurality of apertures, wherein each of the lens includes a main lens element for passing visible light and an associate lens element for passing invisible light, and light data from the outside of the housing reaches the housing and passes through the lens modules. 
     In an embodiment, the main lens element is in the center zone of the corresponding lens, and the associate lens element is at the surrounding zone of the corresponding lens. 
     In an embodiment, the lenses include three lenses stacked on one another within the housing, and the combined lens module further includes an aperture stop. 
     In an embodiment, the main lens element includes a first main lens element of a first lens, a second main lens element of a second lens, and a third main lens element of a third lens, and the aperture stop is placed between the first main lens element and the second lens element, and wherein the visible light from the outside of the housing passes through the first main lens element, the aperture stop, the second main lens element and the third main lens element in sequence, and then reaches a sensor, and the optical power of the third main lens element is positive. 
     In an embodiment, the optical powers of the first main lens element and the second main lens element are positive numbers. 
     In an embodiment, the main lens element includes a first main lens element of a first lens, a second main lens element of a second lens, and a third main lens element of a third lens, and the aperture stop is placed between the first main lens element and the housing, and wherein the visible light from the outside of the housing passes through the aperture stop, the first main lens element, the second main lens element and the third main lens element in sequence, and then reaches an image sensor, and the optical power of the third main lens element is positive. 
     In an embodiment, the optical power of the first main lens element is positive, and the optical power of the second main lens element is negative. 
     In an embodiment, the apertures includes a main aperture corresponding to the plural main lens elements, and an associate aperture corresponding to the plural associate lens, and wherein the image circle of the associate aperture and the image circle of the main aperture have at least a portion to overlap with each other. 
     In an embodiment, the invisible light includes at least one of infrared light and thermal light. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an image capturing-and-sensing assembly includes: a housing; a plurality of lens module deposited within the housing, the lens modules comprising a plurality of lenses and having a plurality of apertures, wherein the plural apertures comprise a main aperture imaging visible light from the outside of the housing to pass through and an associate aperture imaging invisible light from the outside of the housing to pass through; and a sensor sensing the visible light passing through the main aperture and the invisible light passing through the associate aperture. 
     In an embodiment, the sensor includes a non-Bayer sensor in which at least one sensing pixel for the invisible light is included in one unit, where the corresponding sensor unit may be in a regular matrix or in an irregular shape. 
     In an embodiment, the sensor includes sensors for thermal detection. 
     In an embodiment, each of the lenses includes a plurality of lens elements, and the lens elements include a main lens element at the center of the corresponding lens to be stacked on another main lens elements of the another lenses to form the main aperture, and an associate lens element at the surrounding of the center of the corresponding lens to be stacked on another associate lens elements of the another lenses to form the associate aperture. 
     In an embodiment, the image capturing-and-sensing assembly further comprising an aperture stop, and wherein the main lens elements comprise a first main lens element, a second main lens element, and a third main lens element, and wherein the aperture stop is between the first main lens element and the second main lens element, or the aperture stop is between the first main lens element or the housing. 
     In an embodiment, the optical powers of the first main lens element and the second main lens element are positive numbers. 
     In an embodiment, the sensor includes sensors for thermal detection. 
     From the above descriptions, the present invention provides a combined lens module including plural lens modules deposited within a housing. These lens modules include plural lenses and multiple apertures. Each lens has a main lens element for visible light and an associate lens element for invisible light, such as infrared light or light where thermal bands can also be included. An image capturing-and-sensing assembly may be performed by equipping with such a combined lens module and a sensor for visible light and invisible light, which could have high-resolution and apply to a thin portable device or any environment in use of infrared-red structured lighting or light scanner for human interaction field. 
     The above objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic stereo diagram illustrating a combined lens module according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary image circles map of an associate aperture according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram illustrating another exemplary image circles map of an associate aperture according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic cross-view diagram illustrating the combined lens assembly of a first embodiment and other components according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram illustrating a sensing unit of an exemplary sensor according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic cross-view diagram illustrating the combined lens assembly of a second embodiment and other components according to the embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram illustrating the image circle of  FIG. 6  according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In the present invention, a lens assembly may have plural apertures, and each of the apertures can have it own lens module. Each of the lens modules can include one or more lens elements. The plural lens elements may be stacked along the optical axes of the lens modules. That is, the distances from an objective plane or an image plane to these lens elements are different. Furthermore, the lens elements corresponding to the different lens modules may be separated into the plural lenses or integrated into a single piece lens, for example, in the way of the plastic molding to integrate the plural lens elements into a single piece. The different lens elements on a single piece lens may have their own functions and be illustrated in the following paragraphs. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic stereo diagram illustrating a combined lens module. Please refer to  FIG. 1 , a combined lens module  10  includes a base  11 , a housing  13  deposited in the base  11 , and a lens assembly  12  deposited in the housing  13 . In this embodiment, the base  11  accommodates and fixes the housing  13  having the lens assembly  12 . Besides, the base  11  may include other structures to fix other circuit or other assembled components. In practice, the base  11  may be omitted if necessary. Next, the housing  13  is configured to integrate the lens assembly  12  to become a single member. For example, the housing  13  could include a top plate, a bottom plate, and a sidewall to fix the lens assembly  12 . It is understood that the ratio, the positions, the sizes, the geometric shapes of the base  11  and the housing  13  in  FIG. 1  are just exemplary for illustration, not limited to a design in the present invention. 
     Next, the lens assembly  12  includes a multitude of lens modules, such as a first lens module  120 , a second lens module  122 , a third lens module  124 , a fourth lens module  126 , and a fifth lens module  128 . In this embodiment, the first lens module  120  is positioned in the center zone of the housing  13 , and surrounded by the second lens module  122 , the third lens module  124 , the fourth lens module  126 , and the fifth lens module  128 . It is noted that the arrangement of these lens modules can be regular or irregular, and a regular or symmetric arrangement is preferred. The arrangement shown in  FIG. 1  does not limit any design of the present invention. Furthermore, the lens assembly  12  has a plurality of apertures corresponded by the lens modules aforementioned. For convenient illustration, the first lens module  120  implements a main aperture with a main optical axis  201 , while the second lens module  122 , the third lens module  124 , the fourth lens module  126 , and the fifth lens module  128  implement different associate apertures with associated optical axes  203 . In the embodiment, the first lens module  120  of the main aperture is configured to permit visible light data detective by a visible light sensor to pass through. The other lens modules of the associate apertures are configured to permit invisible light data detective by an invisible light sensor to pass through, such as the wavelength of 830 nm or 920 nm which less appeared in our natural environment. Furthermore, though the first lens module  120  is illustrated to implement the capturing of the visible light data, it is not limited to a single first lens module  120  at design, and the plural lens modules  120  distributed in the center zone of the housing  13  may be designed to be capable of permitting the visible light data to pass through. Moreover, the invisible light aforementioned may include, but not limited, infrared light, thermal light (long-wavelength infrared light), or the combination thereof. 
       FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3  are schematic diagrams illustrating the different exemplary image circles maps of the associate apertures for the different arrangements on the lens modules in the present invention. Take a typical 4 MP sensor with a format 16:9 as an example, it is denoted by a square of the length  22  of 5.376 mm and the width  24  of 3.040 mm. To use the maximum capability of imaging for the sensor, image circles  23  and  25  have to be at least 6.176 mm diameter. Accordingly, shown in  FIG. 2 , associate apertures  232 ,  234 ,  236 , and  238  are designed to be separated without overlapping within the image circle  23  and within the range of the length  22  and the width  24  of the sensor. Shown in  FIG. 3 , associate apertures  252 ,  254 ,  256 , and  258  are designed to be independent with partially overlapping portions within the image circle  23  and cover some portions over the range of the length  22  and the width  24  of the sensor. Accordingly, the cooperation of the main aperture and the one or more associate apertures in the present invention can satisfy to cover the image circle of the maximum capability of imaging for the sensor in use. The ranges of the main aperture and the associate apertures can be separated without overlapping, or independent with partially overlapping portions. The arrangements of the main aperture and the associate apertures are not limited to in symmetric or asymmetric form, or identical or different sizes of apertures. Furthermore, the main aperture and the associate apertures in the present invention can include multitudes of different directions of viewing (sighting) and hence the lens assembly of the present invention can be named as a multiple view lens assembly, and the characteristics of each aperture are specified by the corresponding field of view (FOV) or field angle (FA) and the size of aperture. 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic cross-view diagram illustrating the combined lens assembly of a first embodiment and other components, and  FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram illustrating a sensing unit of an exemplary sensor. Please refer to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 4 , the lens assembly includes three lenses  32 ,  34 , and  36 , and each of the lenses  32 ,  34 , and  36  includes one or more lens elements. In the first embodiment, the lens  32  includes a first main lens element  31 , and a first associate lens element  41  and a second associate lens element  42  deposited around the first main lens element  31 . Similarly, the lens  34  includes a second main lens element  33 , and a third associate lens element  43  and a fourth associate lens element  44  deposited around the second main lens element  33 . The lens  36  has a third main lens element  35 , and a fifth associate lens element  45  and a sixth associate lens element  46  deposited around the third main lens element  35 . Moreover, the associate lens elements can be separated with one another, or be within a continuous zone if they belong to the same lens. Next, compared with  FIG. 1 , the first lens module  120  includes the first main lens element  31 , the second main lens element  33 , and the third main lens element  35 . The third lens module  124  has the second associate lens element  42 , the fourth associate lens element  44 , and the sixth associate lens element  46 . The fourth lens module  126  has the first associate lens element  41 , the third associate lens element  43 , and the fifth associate lens element  45 . It is understood that the second lens module  122  and the fifth lens module  128  are not shown in  FIG. 4  because of selecting a specific cross-view diagram. Furthermore, the lens  34  is deposited between the lens  32  and the lens  36 . The first face  311  of the lens  32  is faced towards an objective plane, the first face  331  of the lens  34  is faced towards the objective plane and the lens  32 . The first face  351  of the lens  36  is faced towards the objective plane, the lens  32 , and the lens  34 . Besides, an aperture stop  30  is placed in front of the first face  331  of the second main lens element  33 , and a sensor  40  is set behind the lens  36 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 4  again, in the first embodiment, the lens configuration of the first lens module  120  is represented by a text “XAXP”, in which “X” represents the optical power (OP) for the lens counting from the objective plane, and can be positive or negative; “A” represents the aperture stop  30 ; “P” represents the positive optical power for the second lens counting from the objective plane; and “N” represents the negative optical power of the face of the lens counting from the objective plane. Accordingly, the optical power of the first main lens element  31  is a positive number near to zero, a positive number of 0.1038 is preferred such that the corresponding field of view could be extended nearly close to about 80-90 degrees, or even larger. Next, the optical powers of the second main lens element  33  and the third main lens element  35  are positive numbers respectively more than the one of the first main lens element  31 , the preferred positive numbers of the second main lens element  33  and the third main lens element  35  are 0.1497 and 0.7552, respectively. However, these numbers aforementioned are not limited in the present invention. The lens configuration of the first lens module  120  is considered to be capable of providing enough space to let multitudes of light beams for associate views reach the sensor  40  behind the lens assembly without interferences among one another, after the multitudes of light beams pass through the first lens module and other surrounding lens modules. Accordingly, the lens configuration of the first lens module  120  could have a positive optical power of the lens that is the closest to the sensor  40 . If the aperture stop  30  is necessary, it would be placed after the lens element that is the closest to the objective plane. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 4  again, for example, a person stands ahead of the lens assembly and stretches his arms from his shoulders (not shown in  FIG. 4 ). Light data  72  of the person&#39;s body in right front of the lens assembly  12  enters into the lens assembly  12  in the way of the incident direction parallel to a main optical axis  201 . Light data  71  of the stretched left arm and light data  73  of the stretched right arm pass through the lens assembly  12  and then reach the sensor  40  in the way of the respectively incident angles with respect to the main optical axis  201 . These incident angles results from these incident directions are not parallel to the main optical axis  201 . However, the first lens module  120  can provide the enough space to let the light data  71  and the light data  73  reach and be received by the sensor  40  without the interferences with each other. 
     Furthermore, the combined lens modules of the present invention are equipped with the sensor  40  to become an image-capturing assembly. The combined lens modules of the present invention are capable to permit the visible light and invisible light (eg. the infrared light, or thermal light) from the outside of the housing to pass through the lens modules and then reach the sensor  40  (in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 ), so that the sensor  40  could be considered to be a non-Bayer sensor, i.e., the pixels are distributed for Red (R), Green (G), Blue (B), IR (infrared or invisible) regularly or irregularly, or say, in which at least one sensing pixel for the invisible light is included in one unit, where the corresponding sensor unit may be in a regular matrix or in an irregular shape, and it can sense both the visible light and the invisible (infrared or thermal for example) light. Please refer to  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , the sensor  40  includes a plurality of sensing pixels  74  aligned in a matrix of one or two dimensions. Each of the sensing pixels  74  could have four pixel units  75 ,  76 ,  77 , and  78 . For example, the pixel unit  75  is configured to sense red light (R), the pixel unit  76  is configured to sense green light (G), the pixel unit  77  senses blue light (B), and the pixel unit  78  is configured to sense infrared light or other invisible light. Accordingly, the pixel units  75 ,  76 , and  77  of the sensing pixel  74  are the portions of a visible light domain on the sensor  40 , while the pixel unit  78  is the portion of a infrared light domain on the sensor  40 . 
     Consequently, the visible light data passing through the main lens elements reaches the visible light domain of the non-Bayer sensor, while the infrared or invisible light data passing through the associate lens elements reaches the infrared (invisible) light domain of the non-Bayer sensor. Thus, a single sensor may be used for the combined lens module in the present invention and simplify the members of an image-capturing assembly. Of course, it is understood that two or more individual sensors may also used in the present invention, such as a Bayer sensor in charge of receiving the visible light data and other specific sensor in charge of receiving the infrared light data and other invisible light data. 
     Furthermore, the image circle of the lens configuration in  FIG. 4  can be similar to the one in  FIG. 3 , the image circle  25  represents the one of the first lens module  120 , which follows the lens configuration of “XAXP” rule and enables the image circles of all the associate lens modules to be within the domain of the image circle of the first lens module  120 . Besides, the lenses of the first lens module may be designed in a more freedom way and a larger resolution capability. 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic cross-view diagram illustrating the combined lens assembly of a second embodiment and other components. Please refer to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 6 , the lens assembly  12  includes three lenses  52 ,  54 , and  56 . The lens  52  includes a first main lens element  51 , and a first associate lens element  61  and a second lens element  62  deposited around the first main lens element  51 . Similarly, the lens  54  has a second main lens element  53 , and a third associate lens element  63  and a fourth associate lens element  64  deposited around the second main lens element  53 . The lens  56  includes a third main lens element  55 , and a fifth associate lens element  65  and a sixth associate lens element  66  deposited around the third main lens element  55 . Next, the lens  54  is positioned between the lens  52  and the lens  56 . The aperture stop  30  is placed in front of the lens  52  that is the closest to the objective plane, or say, the aperture stop  30  is place in front of all the lens elements. Thus, the first lens module  120  has the lens configuration of “AXXP”. Besides, the sensor  40  is positioned behind the lens  56 . It is noted that the light data in  FIG. 6  is similar to the ones shown in  FIG. 4 , and some of them omitted in  FIG. 6  are not limited to the second embodiment. 
     Compared with the first embodiment, the aperture stop  30  of the second embodiment is located at the position the closest to the objective plane, and the third main lens element  55  of the lens  56  that is just in front of the sensor has a positive optical power. The optical power of the third main lens element  55  is preferred 0.6924. The first main lens element  51  of the lens  52  and the second main lens element  53  of the lens  54  have positive or negative numbers, respectively. For example, the optical power of the first main lens element  51  has a preferred positive number of 3.964, while the optical power of the second main lens element  53  has a preferred negative number of −0.789, but not limited to in the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram illustrating the image circle of  FIG. 6 . Please refer to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 6 , and  FIG. 7 , image circle  27  is the one of the first lens module  120  (main lens module), and image circles  272 ,  274 ,  276 , and  278  are the ones of the associate lens modules. Furthermore, the image circles  272 ,  274 ,  276 , and  278  are partially overlapped with the image circle  27 , and an image-capturing domain  28  is within the ranges of all the image circles aforementioned. 
     Accordingly, the lens module of the present invention combines multitudes of lenses, and each of the lenses can have different lens elements in charge of the visible light data and the infrared light data, respectively. Compared with a single lens, such a combined lens is used to improve the field of view and further enhance the image quality of an associate field of view. Next, the lens element in charge of passing the visible light data could be positioned in the center zones of any lens, and the lens element in charge of passing the infrared light data could be at the surrounding of the corresponding lens. From the view of mechanical enhancement in practice, the lens elements for the infrared light data are the extensions of the lens elements for the visible light data, which could improve the mechanical strength of the lenses and permit the invisible light data (infrared light data or thermal light data) to reach the sensor behind the lens modules, so that both mechanical and optical properties are considered in the combined lens modules. Besides, because any lens has different lens elements in charge of passing the invisible light data (infrared light data or thermal light data for example) and the visible light data, respectively, the combined lens modules of the present invention can be applied to an image-capturing device or apparatus with multiple apertures. Moreover, the multitudes of lenses are accommodated within the single housing to reduce the whole size, so such a combined lens module is suitable applied to a slim smart mobile phone. Next, the combined lens module of the present invention is capable to receive both the visible light data and the invisible light data in which infrared light is also included, so it is applied to a situation or environment in use of the invisible light for detection, scanning, or other purposes, such as an interactive device or apparatus with human body. The invisible light may be in thermal range, too. 
     While the invention has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.