Patent ID: 8134636

Claim:
A method for providing auto-focusing for a camera module that is tunable, comprising: fabricating one or more liquid crystal optical elements for forming a liquid crystal layer, wherein each liquid crystal optical element comprising: a first substrate having a first electrode; a second substrate, and a second electrode disposed above the second substrate and having a hole; a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate; a first voltage applied between the first electrode and the second electrode to control an orientation of the liquid crystal molecules; a third electrode disposed on an insulating layer and over the second electrode and configured to receive a second voltage that is independent of the first voltage, wherein the first voltage has a fixed value that imparts optimal first-stage optical properties to the optical element; and the second voltage is changed to vary second-stage optical properties of the optical element; and attaching the liquid crystal layer onto the camera module; providing focus on an object located between 10 cm to infinity, wherein achieving a prearranged response time of at most about 600 milliseconds using a predetermined focal length for the liquid crystal optical element; providing tuning for the predetermined focal length for the liquid crystal optical element from −20 cm to infinity when the object is located between 20 cm to infinity; providing tuning for the predetermined focal length from +20 cm to infinity when the object is located between 10 cm to 20 cm; providing tuning for the predetermined focal length to between +20 cm to −20 cm when the object is located between 10 cm to infinity; and providing continuous feedback from a plurality of image acquisitions for thereby improving upon the tuning of the predetermined focal length for the liquid crystal optical element.