Patent Description:
An anti-shake function of an electronic device such as a mobile phone can improve an image capturing quality of a camera module in use. When an anti-shake assembly realizes the anti-shake function by regulating a relative position relationship between a lens and an imaging sensor, an imaging effect of an edge of an image and an overall image capturing quality of the camera module will be reduced. Nevertheless, an anti-shake manner that takes both the imaging effect and the anti-shake effect into account is needed to improve the anti-shake assembly, which causes an excessive occupation of an inner space of the electronic device.

Anti-shake systems may stabilize tilt and pan , but a complete stabilization also needs to correct roll, that is rotation around the optical axis of the camera lens. A system stabilizing roll is known from <CIT>, but there is still a need for a such system in the limited volume of a compact personal electronic device.

The present disclosure provides a camera module and an electronic device.

According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a camera module is provided, and includes a fixed bracket, a camera body and an anti-shake assembly. The camera body includes a lens and an imaging sensor corresponding to the lens in terms of positions. The camera body is provided with a movable connecting member on an external side surface of the camera body arranged along a circumferential direction of the lens, the fixed bracket is provided with a movable fitting member corresponding to the movable connecting member in terms of positions, and the movable fitting member is movably connected with the movable connecting member. The anti-shake assembly includes a space attitude sensor and a driving module electrically connected with the space attitude sensor. The driving module is configured to be fitted with the camera body and to drive the camera body to perform an anti-shake motion relative to the fixed bracket according to shaking information obtained by the space attitude sensor.

In some embodiments, one of the movable connecting member and the movable fitting member is a guide wheel, and the other one of the movable connecting member and the movable fitting member is an arc-shaped guide rail. An arc center of the arc-shaped guide rail coincides with an optical axis of the lens, and the guide wheel is rollably fitted with the arc-shaped guide rail.

In some embodiments, one of the movable connecting member and the movable fitting member is a sliding member, and the other one of the movable connecting member and the movable fitting member is an arc-shaped slide rail. An arc center of the arc-shaped slide rail coincides with an optical axis of the lens, and the sliding member is slidably fitted with the arc-shaped slide rail.

In some embodiments, at least two movable connecting members are provided on the external side surface of the camera body.

In some embodiments, two movable connecting members are provided on the external side surface of the camera body, and the two movable connecting members are symmetrically provided with respect to the lens.

In the invention, the fixed bracket includes bracket parts arranged at intervals, and an arrangement position of the bracket part corresponds to a position of at least one movable connecting member.

In some embodiments, the anti-shake assembly further includes a feedback module electrically connected with the space attitude sensor. The feedback module includes a Hall sensor and a controller electrically connected with the Hall sensor. The camera body further includes a magnetic field generator, and the Hall sensor corresponds to the magnetic field generator in terms of positions.

In some embodiments, the driving module includes at least one of an electromagnetic force driving assembly and a shape-memory alloy.

In some embodiments, the electromagnetic force driving assembly includes a driving coil and a magnetic member, the magnetic member is arranged on the camera body, and the driving coil is correspondingly arranged on the fixed bracket.

According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, an electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a device body and a camera module according to any one of the above embodiments. The camera module is assembled to the device body, and the fixed bracket is assembled and fitted with the fixed member of the device body.

It should be understood that the above general description and the detailed description below are merely used to explain the present disclosure, and cannot be construed as a limitation to the present disclosure.

<FIG> is a schematic view of a camera module useful for understanding the present disclosure. As illustrated in <FIG>, the camera module <NUM> includes a fixed bracket <NUM>, a camera body <NUM> and an anti-shake assembly <NUM>. The camera body <NUM> includes a lens <NUM> and an imaging sensor <NUM> corresponding to the lens <NUM> in terms of positions. The camera body <NUM> is provided with a movable connecting member <NUM> on an external side surface <NUM> arranged along a circumferential direction of the lens <NUM>, and the fixed bracket is provided with a movable fitting member <NUM> corresponding to the movable connecting member <NUM> in terms of positions. The movable fitting member <NUM> is movably connected with the movable connecting member <NUM>. The anti-shake assembly <NUM> includes a space attitude sensor <NUM> and a driving module <NUM> electrically connected with the space attitude sensor <NUM>. The driving module <NUM> is configured to be fitted with the camera body <NUM> and to drive the camera body <NUM> to perform an anti-shake motion relative to the fixed bracket <NUM> according to shaking information obtained by the space attitude sensor <NUM>.

Since a current working position of the camera body <NUM> changes with respect to an original working position during shaking of the camera module <NUM>, the imaging effect of the camera body <NUM> will be affected. Therefore, the anti-shake motion of the camera body <NUM> with respect to the fixed bracket <NUM> needs a compensation motion in which a posture of the camera body <NUM> with respect to the fixed bracket <NUM> is regulated according to the overall shaking information of the camera module <NUM>, so as to maintain the current working position of the camera body <NUM> in the original working position.

It should be noted that the space attitude sensor <NUM> may be a gyroscope or other devices for sensing a space attitude of the camera module <NUM>, which is not limited in the present disclosure. The space attitude sensor <NUM> may be arranged to the fixed bracket <NUM>, or the camera module <NUM> or other fixed parts of the electronic device <NUM> assembled with the camera module <NUM>, so as to sense the overall shaking information of the camera module <NUM>. The present disclosure does not limit an arrangement position of the space attitude sensor <NUM>.

When the space attitude sensor <NUM> of the anti-shake assembly <NUM> senses the shaking information, the driving module <NUM> is controlled to be fitted with the camera body <NUM> and to drive the camera body <NUM> to perform the anti-shake motion relative to the fixed bracket <NUM>. Since the lens <NUM> and the imaging sensor <NUM> of the camera body <NUM> perform the anti-shake motion relative to the fixed bracket <NUM> as a whole, an influence of the change of the relative position relationship between the lens <NUM> and the imaging sensor <NUM> on the image quality is avoided. Additionally, in the camera module <NUM>, the movable connecting member <NUM> on the external side surface <NUM> of the camera body <NUM> may be used to be movably connected with the movable fitting member <NUM> on the fixed bracket <NUM>, thereby reducing a structure size and a space occupation of the camera body <NUM> in a thickness direction.

In the above example, at least two movable connecting members <NUM> may be provided on the external side surface <NUM> of the camera body <NUM>, which is not limited in the present disclosure. When at least two movable connecting members <NUM> are arranged on the external side surface <NUM> of the camera body <NUM>, the stability of the fit between the camera body <NUM> and the fixed bracket <NUM> is increased by improving the number and the arrangement manner of the movable connecting members <NUM>. An exemplary description of the arrangement manner of the movable connecting member <NUM> will be described as follows.

In an example, as illustrated in <FIG>, two movable connecting members <NUM> are arranged on the external side surface <NUM> of the camera body <NUM>, and the two movable connecting members <NUM> are symmetrically arranged with respect to the lens <NUM>. The camera body <NUM> forms the movable support at two symmetrical positions by the movable fit between the movable connection pieces <NUM> arranged symmetrically and the fixed bracket <NUM>, which is conductive to improving the stability of the camera body <NUM> in the anti-shake motion, thus increasing a precision of the anti-shake motion and an anti-shake effect. In addition, since the camera module <NUM> is provided with the two movable connecting members <NUM> symmetrical with respect to the lens <NUM>, a structural interference with other parts of the camera module <NUM> is reduced through the number and the arrangement position of the movable connecting members <NUM>, on the premise of ensuring the stability of the connection, thus reducing the overall structure size and the space occupation of the camera module <NUM>.

In another example, as illustrated in <FIG>, three movable connecting members <NUM> are provided on the external side surface <NUM> of the camera body <NUM> so as to generate a movable connection effect of a three-point fit with the fixed bracket <NUM>, thereby further improving the stability of the fit between the camera body <NUM> and the fixed bracket <NUM>. The three movable connecting members <NUM> may be uniformly distributed on the external side surface <NUM>, or may also be distributed in a preset vacancy of the camera body <NUM> according to a structural arrangement of the camera body <NUM> and the fixed bracket <NUM>, so as to avoid a structural interference of the movable connecting member <NUM> with other components of the camera body <NUM> and the fixed bracket <NUM>. When a plurality of movable connecting members <NUM> are arranged on the external side surface <NUM> of the camera body <NUM>, the present disclosure does not limit arrangement positions of the plurality of movable connecting members <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the fixed bracket <NUM> may be a continuous structure on which the movable fitting member <NUM> in one-to-one correspondence with the movable connecting member <NUM> is arranged, but the invention uses a fixed bracket made of several parts. Taking a cross section of the camera body <NUM> having a rectangle shape for example, the fixed bracket <NUM> may be a door-frame structure matched with the external side surface <NUM> of the camera body <NUM>, such that a circuit board <NUM> and other structures of the camera module <NUM> may extend out of an opening of the door-frame structure, so as to avoid a structural interference between the camera module <NUM> and the fixed bracket <NUM>. According to a using habit of the camera body <NUM> in an image capturing process, the external side surface <NUM> of the camera body <NUM> is defined to include a left side surface <NUM>, a right side surface <NUM>, a top side surface <NUM> and a bottom side surface. The movable connecting members <NUM> may be symmetrically arranged on the left side surface <NUM> and the right side surface <NUM> of the camera body <NUM>, and the movable fitting members <NUM> are correspondingly arranged on a left side and a right side of the door-frame structure. In an assembling process, the assembling and the fitting of the camera body <NUM> and the fixed bracket <NUM> of the door type may be finished respectively, thus facilitating the structural arrangement and the mounting of the fixed bracket <NUM>.

In the invention, as illustrated in <FIG>, a plurality of movable connecting members <NUM> are provided, the fixed bracket <NUM> includes bracket parts <NUM> arranged at intervals, and an arrangement position of the bracket part <NUM> corresponds to that of at least one of the plurality of movable connecting members <NUM>. Dividing the fixed bracket <NUM> into the bracket parts <NUM> arranged independently may not only improve an arrangement flexibility of the fixed bracket <NUM>, but also effectively utilize the scattered assembling space inside the electronic device <NUM> and hence improve a utilization of the inner space of the electronic device <NUM>. One bracket part <NUM> may be provided with one movable fitting member <NUM> so as to correspond to one movable connecting member <NUM> on the camera body <NUM> in terms of positions. Another bracket part <NUM> may also be provided with the movable fitting members <NUM> so as to correspond to the movable connecting members <NUM> on the camera body <NUM> in terms of positions.

In the above systems, one of the movable connecting member <NUM> and the movable fitting member <NUM> may be a guide wheel, and the other one thereof may be an arc-shaped guide rail, so as to drive the camera body <NUM> to generate the anti-shake motion around an optical axis of the lens <NUM> with respect to the fixed bracket <NUM> through a rolling of the guide wheel relative to the arc-shaped guide rail.

Alternatively, one of the movable connecting member <NUM> and the movable fitting member <NUM> is a sliding member, and the other one thereof is an arc-shaped slide rail. An arc center of the arc-shaped slide rail coincides with an optical axis of the lens, and the sliding member is slidably fitted with the arc-shaped slide rail. The sliding member may be a slide block structure matched with a cross-section shape of the arc-shaped slide rail. When the slide block slides in the arc-shaped slide rail, the slide block may drive the camera body <NUM> to generate the corresponding anti-shake motion around the optical axis of the lens <NUM> with respect to the fixed bracket <NUM>.

The arc center of the arc-shaped guide rail coincides with the optical axis of the lens <NUM>, such that the anti-shake motion of the camera body <NUM> is conducted around the optical axis of the lens <NUM>, which facilitates the calculation and control of a motion track and helps to improve an anti-shake effect of the camera body <NUM>.

For example, as illustrated in <FIG>, taking an example in which the movable connecting member <NUM> is the guide wheel and the movable fitting member <NUM> is the arc-shaped guide rail, when the above camera module <NUM> encounters shaking in use, the space attitude sensor <NUM> senses the shaking information, and other control chips or a mainboard of the device receives the shaking information and controls the driving module <NUM> to push the camera body <NUM> to generate a preset displacement according to the shaking information. In this case, since the guide wheel on the camera body <NUM> can roll along the arc-shaped guide rail on the fixed bracket <NUM>, the camera body <NUM> is driven to move along the arc-shaped guide rail, such that the shaking produced by the camera module <NUM> in use can be compensated and an expected anti-shake effect is achieved.

Further, the anti-shake assembly <NUM> further includes a feedback module <NUM> electrically connected with the space attitude sensor <NUM>, and the feedback module <NUM> includes a Hall sensor (not marked) and a controller (not marked) electrically connected with the Hall sensor. The feedback module <NUM> is arranged to the fixed bracket <NUM> or in other fixed positions inside the electronic device <NUM>, which is not limited in the present disclosure. The camera body <NUM> further includes a magnetic field generator <NUM>, and the Hall sensor corresponds to the magnetic field generator <NUM> in terms of positions. When the camera body <NUM> is controlled to perform the anti-shake motion according to the shaking information obtained by the space attitude sensor <NUM>, a relative position relationship between the magnetic field generator <NUM> arranged on the camera body <NUM> and the Hall sensor changes. The Hall sensor converts a current position of the magnetic field generator <NUM> and the camera body <NUM> into an electrical signal and feeds it back to the controller. The controller compares the above current position with an expected position and sends a feedback control signal to the driving module <NUM>, such that the anti-shake motion of the camera body <NUM> is tracked and has an error compensation, thereby improving the anti-shake effect of the camera module <NUM>.

It should be noted that the driving module <NUM> may be at least one of an electromagnetic force driving assembly and a shape-memory alloy, or a driving module <NUM> based on other principles, which is not limited in the present disclosure. The electromagnetic force driving assembly pushes the camera body <NUM> to perform the anti-shake motion through an electromagnetic force, while the shape-memory alloy pushes the camera body <NUM> to perform the anti-shake motion via a current passing through a wire body to raise its temperature, and hence to result in a structure change of the shape-memory alloy.

When the electromagnetic force driving assembly pushes the camera body <NUM> to perform the anti-shake motion through the electromagnetic force, as illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the electromagnetic force driving assembly includes a driving coil <NUM> and a magnetic member <NUM>, the magnetic member <NUM> is arranged on the camera body <NUM>, and the driving coil <NUM> is correspondingly arranged on the fixed bracket <NUM> or other fixed members of the electronic device <NUM>. When the driving coil <NUM> is powered on, a preset magnetic field is generated to drive the camera body <NUM> with the magnetic member <NUM> to perform the anti-shake motion towards an expected position. In this case, the magnetic member <NUM> may also be directly used as the magnetic field generator <NUM> associated with the Hall sensor, so as to simplify the structural arrangement of the camera body <NUM>. It should be noted that both the magnetic field generator <NUM> and the magnetic member <NUM> may be a loadstone or a magnet, which is not limited in the present disclosure.

For example, the fixed bracket <NUM> is a door-frame structure matched with the external side surface <NUM> of the camera body <NUM>, the movable connecting members <NUM> are provided on the left side surface <NUM> and the right side surface <NUM> of the camera body <NUM> symmetrically, and the movable fitting members <NUM> are correspondingly arranged on the left side and the right side of the door-frame structure. In this case, the magnetic member <NUM> may be arranged on the top side surface <NUM> of the camera body <NUM>, and the driving coil <NUM> is correspondingly arranged to a top of the fixed bracket <NUM> of the door type, so as to avoid structure and function interferences between the magnetic member <NUM>, the driving coil <NUM> and the movable connecting member <NUM>, the movable fitting member <NUM>, and also to allow the magnetic member <NUM> between the two movable connecting members <NUM> to provide a stable pushing force for the camera body <NUM>.

The present disclosure further proposes an electronic device <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>. The electronic device <NUM> includes a device body <NUM> and a camera module <NUM>. The camera module <NUM> is assembled in the device body <NUM>, and the fixed bracket <NUM> is assembled and fitted with a fixed member of the device body <NUM>. The fixed member of the device body <NUM> may be a rear case, a middle frame or other fixed structures located in the device body <NUM>, which is not limited in the present disclosure. The camera module <NUM> may act as a front camera or a rear camera of the electronic device <NUM>, which is also not limited in the present disclosure.

It should be noted that the electronic device <NUM> may be a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a vehicle terminal or a medical terminal, etc., which is not limited in the present disclosure.

The camera module <NUM> is provided with the camera body <NUM> and the fixed bracket <NUM>, and the movable connecting member <NUM> is provided on the external side surface <NUM> of the camera body <NUM> arranged along the circumferential direction of the lens <NUM>, such that the movable connecting member <NUM> is movably connected with the movable connecting member <NUM> on the fixed bracket <NUM>. When the space attitude sensor <NUM> of the anti-shake assembly <NUM> senses the shaking information, the driving module <NUM> is controlled to be fitted with the camera body <NUM> and to drive the camera body <NUM> to perform the anti-shake motion relative to the fixed bracket <NUM>. Since the lens <NUM> and the imaging sensor <NUM> of the camera body <NUM> perform the anti-shake motion relative to the fixed bracket <NUM> as a whole, the influence of the change of the relative position relationship between the lens <NUM> and the imaging sensor <NUM> on the image quality is avoided. In addition, in the camera module <NUM>, the movable connecting member <NUM> on the external side surface <NUM> of the camera body <NUM> may be used to be movably connected with the movable fitting member <NUM> on the fixed bracket <NUM>, so as to reduce a structure size and a space occupation of the camera body <NUM> in a thickness direction, thus facilitating improvements of the lightness and thinness of the electronic device <NUM>.

The above description includes part of embodiments of the present disclosure, and not limits the present disclosure. Modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., may fall within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.

Various embodiments in this specification have been described in a progressive manner, where descriptions of some embodiments focus on the differences from other embodiments, and same or similar parts among the different embodiments are sometimes described together in only one embodiment.

It should also be noted that in the present disclosure, relational terms such as first and second, etc., are only used to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply these entities having such an order or sequence. It does not necessarily require or imply that any such actual relationship or order exists between these entities or operations.

Moreover, the terms "include," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion within a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements including not only those elements but also those that are not explicitly listed, or other elements that are inherent to such processes, methods, goods, or equipment.

In the case of no more limitation, the element defined by the sentence "includes a. " does not exclude the existence of another identical element in the process, the method, or the device including the element.

Specific examples are used herein to describe the principles and implementations of some embodiments. The description is only used to help convey understanding of the possible methods and concepts. Meanwhile, those of ordinary skill in the art can change the specific manners of implementation and application thereof without departing from the scope of the claims. The contents of this specification therefore should not be construed as limiting the disclosure.

For example, in the description of the present disclosure, the terms "some embodiments," or "example," and the like may indicate a specific feature described in connection with the embodiment or example, a structure, a material or feature included in at least one embodiment or example. In the present disclosure, the schematic representation of the above terms is not necessarily directed to the same embodiment or example.

In the descriptions, with respect to circuit(s), unit(s), device(s), component(s), etc., in some occurrences singular forms are used, and in some other occurrences plural forms are used in the descriptions of various embodiments. It should be noted; however, the single or plural forms are not limiting but rather are for illustrative purposes. Unless it is expressly stated that a single unit, device, or component etc. is employed, or it is expressly stated that a plurality of units, devices or components, etc. are employed, the circuit(s), unit(s), device(s), component(s), etc. can be singular, or plural.

Based on various embodiments of the present disclosure, the disclosed apparatuses, devices, and methods can be implemented in other manners. For example, the abovementioned devices can employ various methods of use or implementation as disclosed herein.

In the present disclosure, the terms "installed," "connected," "coupled," "fixed" and the like shall be understood broadly, and may be either a fixed connection or a detachable connection, or integrated, unless otherwise explicitly defined. These terms can refer to mechanical or electrical connections, or both. Such connections can be direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium. These terms can also refer to the internal connections or the interactions between elements. The specific meanings of the above terms in the present disclosure can be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art on a case-by-case basis.

Dividing the device into different "regions," "units," "components" or "layers," etc. merely reflect various logical functions according to some embodiments, and actual implementations can have other divisions of "regions," "units," "components" or "layers," etc. realizing similar functions as described above, or without divisions. For example, multiple regions, units, or layers, etc. can be combined or can be integrated into another system. In addition, some features can be omitted, and some steps in the methods can be skipped.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the units, components, regions, or layers, etc. in the devices provided by various embodiments described above can be provided in the one or more devices described above. They can also be located in one or multiple devices that is (are) different from the example embodiments described above or illustrated in the accompanying drawings. For example, the units, regions, or layers, etc. in various embodiments described above can be integrated into one module or divided into several sub-modules.

The various device components, modules, units, blocks, or portions may have modular configurations, or are composed of discrete components, but nonetheless can be referred to as "modules" in general. In other words, the "components," "modules," "blocks," "portions," or "units" referred to herein may or may not be in modular forms.

In the present disclosure, it is to be understood that the terms "lower," "upper," "center," "longitudinal," "transverse," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "back," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inside," "outside," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," "circumferential," "column," "row," and other orientation or positional relationships are based on example orientations illustrated in the drawings, and are merely for the convenience of the description of some embodiments, rather than indicating or implying the device or component being constructed and operated in a particular orientation. Therefore, these terms are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure.

The order of the various embodiments described above are only for the purpose of illustration, and do not represent preference of embodiments.

Although specific embodiments have been described above in detail, the description is merely for purposes of illustration.

Claim 1:
A camera module (<NUM>), comprising:
a fixed bracket (<NUM>);
a camera body (<NUM>) comprising a lens (<NUM>) and an imaging sensor (<NUM>) corresponding to the lens (<NUM>) in terms of positions, the camera body (<NUM>) being further provided with a movable connecting member (<NUM>) on an external side surface of the camera body (<NUM>) arranged along a circumferential direction of the lens (<NUM>), the fixed bracket (<NUM>) being provided with a movable fitting member (<NUM>) corresponding to the movable connecting member (<NUM>) in terms of positions, the movable fitting member (<NUM>) being movably connected with the movable connecting member (<NUM>); and
an anti-shake assembly (<NUM>) comprising a space attitude sensor (<NUM>) and a driving module (<NUM>) electrically connected with the space attitude sensor (<NUM>), the driving module (<NUM>) is configured to be fitted with the camera body (<NUM>) and to drive the camera body (<NUM>) to perform an anti-shake motion relative to the fixed bracket (<NUM>) according to shaking information obtained by the space attitude sensor (<NUM>),
characterized in that a plurality of movable connecting members (<NUM>) are provided, the fixed bracket (<NUM>) comprises independent bracket parts (<NUM>) arranged at intervals, and an arrangement position of the bracket part (<NUM>) corresponds to a position of at least one of the plurality of movable connecting members (<NUM>).