Photographic device with retractable lens

A photographic device that includes a main body, a lens barrel and a barrel-positioning mechanism, which is operably coupled to the lens barrel and the main body. The barrel positioning mechanism is capable of moving the lens barrel between a retracted position, in which the lens barrel is within the main body, and an extended position, in which the lens barrel projects out of the main body. In some embodiments, the barrel positioning mechanism is a purely mechanical component that moves the lens barrel between the retracted position and the extended position in response to the lens barrel being pushed in a direction generally towards the main body. In other embodiments, the barrel positioning mechanism includes an electrical motor that helps extend and retract the lens barrel. In some embodiments, the extension/retraction of the lens barrel is triggered by software.

BACKGROUND

In general, a photographic lens, which typically projects from a main body of a photographic device (still camera, webcam or other audio-video device), needs to be protected from being soiled or damaged by hitting other objects when the photographic device is taken from one place to another or put to use. Webcams designed for the laptop/notebook personal computer (PC) space have special design considerations, one of which is the need for an easily operable mechanism for protecting the photographic lens when not in use. Because such webcams are often placed in a travel or computer bag, the lens is highly susceptible to scratching.

SUMMARY

A photographic device that includes a main body and a retractable lens barrel is provided. Also included, in the photographic device, is a barrel-positioning mechanism, operably coupled to the lens barrel and the main body. The barrel positioning mechanism is capable of moving the lens barrel between a retracted position, in which the lens barrel is within the main body, and an extended position, in which the lens barrel projects out of the main body. In some embodiments, the barrel positioning mechanism is a purely mechanical component that moves the lens barrel between the retracted position and the extended position in response to the lens barrel being pushed in a direction generally towards the main body. In other embodiments, the barrel positioning mechanism includes an electrical motor that helps extend and retract the lens barrel. In some embodiments, the extension/retraction of the lens barrel is triggered by software.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1is a very simplified block diagram of a photographic device100in accordance with one of the present embodiments. Photographic device100includes a main body102and a lens barrel104that has a photographic lens106. As can be seen inFIG. 1, lens barrel104is positioned such that it extends substantially outside main body102. In this position, photographic device100is capable of taking pictures. In accordance with the present embodiments, lens barrel104is moveable between the extended position, shown inFIG. 1, and a retracted position, in which lens barrel104is within main body102. In the retracted position, photographic lens106is protected from being soiled or damaged by hitting other objects. The present embodiments primarily relate to mechanisms, described in detail further below, for extending and retracting lens barrel104. It should be noted that photographic device100may be a webcam (video camera, usually attached directly to a computer, whose current or latest images are typically requestable from Web sites) or any type of still camera or audio-video device having components similar to those shown inFIG. 1. However, example embodiments described below primarily relate to lens barrel positioning mechanisms for webcams.

FIGS. 2A and 2Billustrate laptop computers210with attached webcams200in accordance with the present embodiments.FIG. 2Aillustrates webcam200with lens barrel204in an extend position, outside main body202, with lens206in a picture taking position. InFIG. 2B, lens barrel204is in a retracted position within main body202. In other respects,FIGS. 2A and 2Bare identical.

As can be seen inFIGS. 2A and 2B, webcam200is attached to laptop210with the help of an attachment feature (a webcam clip, for example)208. In the embodiment shown inFIGS. 2A and 2B, webcam200is communicatively coupled to a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port212of laptop210with the help of a cable209. During normal operation, webcam200receives its main power supply from laptop210via USB port212. Of course, webcam200may be communicatively coupled to laptop computer210in any other suitable wired or wireless manner currently known or that will be developed in future. Also, any other suitable method for providing the main power supply to webcam200may be used. Discussed in detail below are different mechanisms for moving lens barrel204between the extended position (FIG. 2A) and the retracted position (FIG. 2B).

FIG. 3is a diagrammatic illustration of a webcam300showing details of one of the present embodiments. The view shown inFIG. 3is from the rear of webcam300, with webcam300also shown flipped upside down. The front of webcam300, which includes lens306, is hidden.

FIG. 3shows a top portion of a main body302, a lens barrel304and details of a barrel positioning mechanism315. Mechanism315is capable of moving lens barrel304between its retracted position, shown inFIG. 3, and an extended position, in response to lens barrel304being pushed in a direction (311) generally towards main body302and generally along a longitudinal axis313of main body302. Also shown inFIG. 3are webcam clip308, a cable tube309, a microphone320and a printed circuit board with electrical components denoted by reference numeral322.

It should be noted that barrel positioning mechanism315(ofFIG. 3), which is shown independently inFIG. 4, is a purely mechanical component that needs no electrical power for its operation. Barrel positioning mechanism315includes a main spring330that powers the mechanism315. Main spring330provides constant tension on the mechanism, so that a user does not have to pull the barrel out, only push it against the spring330. Also included in barrel positioning mechanism315is a carrier portion332, which couples to lens barrel304and supports main spring330. Carrier portion332can be made of any suitable material (any suitable plastic, for example). In some embodiments, lens barrel304is rotatably coupled to carrier portion332. As can be seen inFIGS. 3 and 4, carrier portion332includes a guide channel334and a retention feature336. A spring follower338moves within guide channel334. In the example embodiment shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, spring follower338is a bent rod, made of steel or any other suitable metal, having a first end340and a second end342. Spring follow338is held in position with the help of a biasing spring344and a protruding feature346that extends from main body302and fits into its first end340. It is should be noted that, due to the absence of the bottom portion of main body302in the view of webcam300shown inFIG. 3, a connection between protruding feature346and main body302is not shown. Second end342of spring follower338is configured to move within guide channel334. As can be seen inFIGS. 3 and 4, guide channel334has features such as detents and ramp zones such that when a user pushes lens barrel304in, spring follower338will fall into retention feature336, and hold lens barrel304in main body302. When the user pushes lens barrel304in again, spring follower338follows the same guide channel334to another location (such as channel end location337), letting lens barrel304slide out and stay in the extended position. Thus, as mentioned above, due to constant tension provided by main spring330, a user does not have to pull the lens barrel out, only push in against the spring330. As noted earlier, webcam300also includes a microphone320, which is within main body302. Microphone320can be a directional microphone that captures sound waves through a groove (such as groove270shown inFIG. 2A) in main body302. In summary,FIGS. 3 and 4show a relatively simple embodiment of a barrel positioning mechanism, which includes only mechanical components and therefore operates independently of any external or internal power source of webcam300.

FIG. 5is a diagrammatic illustration of a webcam500showing details of another one of the present embodiments. Other than barrel positioning mechanism515of webcam500(shown inFIG. 5) being different from barrel positioning system315of webcam300(shown inFIGS. 3 and 4), the remaining components of webcams500and300are substantially similar and are therefore numbered with the same reference numerals. In contrast with barrel positioning mechanism315ofFIG. 3, which includes only mechanical components, barrel positioning mechanism515ofFIG. 5is an electrically operated component which can be driven by an electric motor516, for example. Electrical motor516is operably coupled to a rotary to linear motion converter517. In some such embodiments, when a user pushes a button (such as button280shown inFIG. 2A) on the outside of the camera, electric motor516turns and either pulls lens barrel304into main body302, or pushes it out of the body.

The example rotary to linear motion converter shown inFIG. 5is a rack and pinion arrangement (rack518and pinion520) coupled to electric motor516and to lens barrel304. However, instead of a rack and pinion arrangement being employed, electric motor516can be coupled to lens barrel304with a series of gear reductions and/or a lead screw mechanism. Piezoelectric actuators or other suitable mechanisms may also be used instead of the above configurations.

Some of the present embodiments are configured such that, when a user unplugs webcam500and forgets to pull lens barrel304back into the main body302, an onboard reserve power system526in webcam500is utilized to automatically retract lens barrel304. Onboard reserve power system526can be a bank of capacitors, a supercapacitor (an electrochemical capacitor that has an unusually large amount of energy storage capacity relative to its size when compared with conventional capacitors) or at least one small battery that would provide enough power to retract lens barrel304. A microprocessor522and a memory524, which stores instructions that the microprocessor is configured to execute, are useful for implementing the automatic retraction of lens barrel304.

FIG. 6is a flowchart600of an automatic lens retraction process in accordance with one of the present embodiments. Steps602and604involve monitoring of a main power supply (received from a computer USB port, for example) of a webcam by periodically checking if the main power is on after short predetermined time intervals. If the main power supply is found to be off, at step606, a determination is made as to whether the lens barrel is in a retracted position. If the lens barrel is not in a retracted position, in accordance step608, the onboard reserve power system is utilized to move the lens barrel into the retraced position. Step610indicates that once the lens barrel is in a retracted position, the onboard reserve power system is turned off. As noted above, these steps are carried out under the control of microprocessor522based on instructions stored in memory524.

In some of the present embodiments, this extension/retraction of lens barrel304is triggered by software. This provides a relatively easy method to give users privacy when they want to leave the webcam plugged in to a laptop, for example, but want to know, with relative certainty, that the webcam is not on. For example,FIG. 2Ashows a feature that enables a user to point and click on an icon or button250, that causes a lens barrel retraction command to be passed to the webcam, which responsively retracts of the lens barrel.FIG. 2Bshows a similar icon or button252that can be clicked on to cause extension of the lens barrel. Additional program code stored in memory524(FIG. 5), and executable by microprocessor522(FIG. 5), helps interpret and execute extension/retraction commands sent from the computer to the webcam. Any suitable wired or wireless technique for communicating the commands from the computer to the webcam may be used.

FIG. 7illustrates an example of a suitable computing system environment700with which embodiments may be implemented. One exemplary place for lens barrel extension/retraction software commands to fit into environment700is in program modules746, which are described in general below. Lens barrel extension/retraction commands could fit into other places as well, of course. Also, the computing system environment700is only one example of a suitable computing environment and is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of the claimed subject matter. Neither should the computing environment700be interpreted as having any dependency or requirement relating to any one or combination of components illustrated in the exemplary operating environment700.

With reference toFIG. 7, an exemplary system for implementing some embodiments includes a general-purpose computing device in the form of a computer710. Components of computer710may include, but are not limited to, a processing unit720, a system memory730, and a system bus721that couples various system components including the system memory to the processing unit720. The system bus721may be any of several types of bus structures including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. By way of example, and not limitation, such architectures include Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, and Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus also known as Mezzanine bus.

The system memory730includes computer storage media in the form of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory such as read only memory (ROM)731and random access memory (RAM)732. A basic input/output system733(BIOS), containing the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within computer710, such as during start-up, is typically stored in ROM731. RAM732typically contains data and/or program modules that are immediately accessible to and/or presently being operated on by processing unit720. By way of example, and not limitation,FIG. 7illustrates operating system734, application programs735, other program modules736, and program data737.

The computer710may also include other removable/non-removable volatile/nonvolatile computer storage media. By way of example only,FIG. 7illustrates a hard disk drive741that reads from or writes to non-removable, nonvolatile magnetic media, a magnetic disk drive751that reads from or writes to a removable, nonvolatile magnetic disk752, and an optical disk drive755that reads from or writes to a removable, nonvolatile optical disk756such as a CD ROM or other optical media. Other removable/non-removable, volatile/nonvolatile computer storage media that can be used in the exemplary operating environment include, but are not limited to, magnetic tape cassettes, flash memory cards, digital versatile disks, digital video tape, solid state RAM, solid state ROM, and the like. The hard disk drive741is typically connected to the system bus721through a non-removable memory interface such as interface740, and magnetic disk drive751and optical disk drive755are typically connected to the system bus721by a removable memory interface, such as interface750.

The drives and their associated computer storage media discussed above and illustrated inFIG. 7, provide storage of computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules and other data for the computer710. InFIG. 7, for example, hard disk drive741is illustrated as storing operating system744, application programs745, other program modules746, and program data747. Note that these components can either be the same as or different from operating system734, application programs735, other program modules736, and program data737. Operating system744, application programs745, other program modules746, and program data747are given different numbers here to illustrate that, at a minimum, they are different copies.

A user may enter commands and information into the computer710through input devices such as a keyboard762, a microphone763, and a pointing device761, such as a mouse, trackball or touch pad. Other input devices (not shown) may include a joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, or the like. These and other input devices are often connected to the processing unit720through a user input interface760that is coupled to the system bus, but may be connected by other interface and bus structures, such as a parallel port, game port or a universal serial bus (USB). A monitor791or other type of display device is also connected to the system bus721via an interface, such as a video interface790. In addition to the monitor, computers may also include other peripheral output devices such as speakers797and printer796, which may be connected through an output peripheral interface795.

The computer710is operated in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers, such as a remote computer780. The remote computer780may be a personal computer, a hand-held device, a server, a router, a network PC, a peer device or other common network node, and typically includes many or all of the elements described above relative to the computer710. The logical connections depicted inFIG. 7include a local area network (LAN)771and a wide area network (WAN)773, but may also include other networks. Such networking environments are commonplace in offices, enterprise-wide computer networks, intranets and the Internet.

When used in a LAN networking environment, the computer710is connected to the LAN771through a network interface or adapter770. When used in a WAN networking environment, the computer710typically includes a modem772or other means for establishing communications over the WAN773, such as the Internet. The modem772, which may be internal or external, may be connected to the system bus721via the user input interface760, or other appropriate mechanism. In a networked environment, program modules depicted relative to the computer710, or portions thereof, may be stored in the remote memory storage device. By way of example, and not limitation,FIG. 7illustrates remote application programs785as residing on remote computer780. It will be appreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary and other means of establishing a communications link between the computers may be used.

Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims. Also, although most of the above lens barrel positioning embodiments are described in connection with webcams, the principles illustrated in these embodiments are applicable to any photographic device.