DE102016004673A1 - Drive system for an image sensor and its optical accompanying elements of an image or video recording device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a drive system for the image sensor and its optical accompanying elements, within a device which is equipped with a camera. The drive system is capable of quickly and silently rotating the image sensor and its optics elements in almost any direction, enabling fast moving targets to be captured without the need for the entire housing of the device in which the camera is mounted is built to move. The drive system finds application in devices of all kinds, which have an image sensor, such. B. Digital cameras of all kinds (including video cameras), smartphones, notebooks, smartwatches, tablet PCs, as well as webcams, drone cameras, vehicle cameras or surveillance cameras, data glasses, etc .. The camera is almost like a human eye moved or rotated.

Description

The invention relates to a drive system for an image sensor and its optical accompanying elements (virtually image pickup devices and cameras of all kinds), within a device that is equipped with a camera. The drive system is able to rotate the image sensor and its optics elements (its complete lens system) in almost any direction and thus also to detect moving targets without the need to cover the entire housing of the device which the camera is installed to move.

The drive system is used in all devices that have an image capture sensor, such. B. Digital cameras of all kinds (video cameras, Kleibildkameras, digital SLR cameras), notebook, smartwatch (a kind of wristwatch with PC-like or smartphone functions), tablet PC, as well as webcams, drone cameras, vehicle cameras or security cameras, data glasses, mobile phone, among other smartphone, endoscopy camera, medical devices of all kinds, which have a camera, etc. The drive system is able to move or rotate the camera sensor and its optics in all these devices and controlled in any Direction. Not all the camera's gadget is being moved or rotated, just the image sensor with its optics inside the gantry, almost like a human eye.

In particular, the system is perfectly suited for small devices that have a camera such. Mobile phones (smartphone), tablet PCs, notebooks / netbooks, data glasses, smartwatch, unmanned remote-controlled drones, robots, endoscopes, etc.

Almost every tablet PC, notebook or mobile phone / smartphone today has a built-in camera, usually even two.

Two cameras are sometimes necessary for one to take pictures of the environment or to make videos, and for the other camera to make a video conversation about providers offering such services (eg Facebook, Skype, Tanga, Viber, X8, Cobra, Aquila , etc.). Because the installation of a camera is complex and also because the parts are not very cheap, a weaker, inferior front camera and a better rear camera are usually installed. The installation of two cameras has other disadvantages. The space in a smartphone is getting pretty tight for more extensions or technical news. As a rule, most of the space in a smartphone occupies the battery. But even the cameras and their controls are not completely negligible. The installation of a weaker, inferior front camera has other disadvantages. The transmitted video quality via video chat programs is pretty bad on the front camera. While the rear camera can usually take good pictures or videos, the front camera is usually inferior. With the internet getting faster and faster nowadays, it is in the interest of users to transfer high quality images or videos. In addition, many people photograph themselves (so-called selfies), a good image quality of the front camera is desirable. For the film / video or image recording, a mobile phone uses an image sensor, which also determines the image resolution. Due to the small dimensions of the optical lens as well as very small sensors, the image acquisition is particularly susceptible to image noise. Even in good light conditions only moderately high-quality images can be generated, compared to conventional digital cameras. It is also clear that with such extremely small image sensors and mini lenses only little light from the environment, or image motif arrives and the lack of light information is compensated via electrical paths. In addition, the sensor micro-components are arranged in a very small space, resulting in field interactions and in the data signals no "clean transport" can be guaranteed, resulting in image noise. Only when organic photo sensor technology on the rise, then the pictures are largely better.

The installation of two cameras in a smartphone requires not only the installation of two camera sensors, or image sensors, but also the optical accompanying elements that belong in an image-taking optical system, such as the optical lenses, image correction elements, image stabilizers, and a controller to. The software must be able to control the two cameras separately, which also makes the operation of a smartphone more or less complicated.

The invention incorporated in a smartphone (mobile phone with PC features), virtually completely replaces the second camera because it is electrically rotatable and can take pictures or record video from both the back and the front. Especially for small devices, such. As aircraft drones, data glasses, tablet PC, the invention is perfectly suitable.

There are numerous drive systems that are suitable for moving a camera. Mostly electric motors (usually stepper motors) and often also small gears are used, which can swing the camera back and forth. However, the electric motors and transmissions are associated with some disadvantages. These are not infinitely small, bring corresponding weight themselves, may be susceptible to interference (eg, dust or moisture), are not absolutely silent, and are not super fast moving, if a quick panning of the camera is to be achieved.

The registration GB 2439346 describes a suspension (gimbal) for a ball, which takes place without mechanical contact, purely electromagnetic. There, a ball is held in a solenoid cage, which can then be rotated. In the ball, a camera can be installed. Both the rotatable body and the stator shell are here equipped with a large number of electromagnetic coils that need to be powered. Due to the interactivity between the fields of the coils, a rotational movement is generated. The camera sensor and electromagnets are coupled to electrical leads, which in turn are coupled to the stator, resulting in susceptibility to movement of the camera and electromagnets. This arrangement is too complicated and economically uninteresting for small devices, such. As mobile phones, webcams, vehicle cameras, or drone cameras.

To turn a ball, numerous methods are described.

The registration JP 080272446 describes a device used to move figures on a sphere. The movement can take place in any direction, within physical constraints or fixed parameters.

The application US5413010 describes an electric motor having a spherical rotor.

The application US5280225 describes an apparatus which is designed as a drive system for a spherical body. Here, a sphere is rotated in several axes in the principle of a stepper motor. Rather, this method is used in robotics.

Application U.S. Pat. Pat. 3178600 indicates a structure with spherically arranged coils, allowing rotation of a body on an axis.

Application U.S. Pat. Pat. No. 3260475 shows a special electric motor whose rotor is spherically built and designed for spacecraft. The resulting torque can be deployed in different directions, thus driving in different directions, without special steering devices or gear possible.

There is a web camera on the market for laptops that are rotatable. However, the rotation is done by hand, purely mechanical (direct touching the webcam housing by hand).

A kind of webcam that is also on the market, can move electrically, but is powered by electric motors and a small gear. The motion reaction rate is not particularly high.

It describes camera systems for smartphones, even those that are rotatable, but almost all mechanical. Several smartphone manufacturers have designed smartphones that have a rotatable camera, which is mechanically rotated by hand and thus can take pictures from behind or front images. Such cameras were also used in some laptops, such. B. older series from ASUS (model ASUS W5000). The camera here is mounted on a rotatable frame and is rotated by hand backwards or forwards. However, this camera can only be rotated on one axis. Theoretically, one could also design a multi-directional camera mounted in a gimbal. An electrically rotatable camera in the traditional sense for notebooks but in the case associated with several problems: z. For example, the conventional drive (mostly via stepper motors and gears) would be too large, vulnerable, would nullify the aesthetics of the carrier device, and also the cabling would have to be designed so that it does not come off when the camera is rotated back and forth.

In the applications listed, where a ball is rotated, the systems described therein are quite complicated, not to be obtained in a very small scale without great effort and also relatively vulnerable.

There are similar principles that are theoretically transferable even on a mobile phone, laptop, tablet PC, and so on.

There are also ways to easily swivel an image sensor into the camera in and out. The optical elements remain static. Image stabilization is done with such methods, but the field of view change is very small, so no great effects can be expected. In addition, physical limits are set here: the further the image sensor moves, the more distorted the image becomes, because the sensor moves on the field of view or focus point of the incident light rays. The optical elements do not follow the sensor movement. Similarly, a method works where only one of the lenses (or a group of them) can pivot back and forth. Again, there are disadvantages, in the form of image distortion at large swing amplitudes. Here the incident light beam becomes more or less distorted, depending on how large the swing amplitude of the lens is.

The well-known manufacturers (eg SONY, Panasonic, etc.) are building electromagnetically movable lenses in smartphone cameras or other high-quality devices. The lens is movable back and forth along the optical axis. In this way, the automatic autofocus setting works on high quality cameras.

As described, there are enough electric drives for cameras (surveillance cameras, IP webcams, etc.), but there are mainly used for the drive electric motors and gear. The drive systems are too coarse, too slow and it is almost impossible or very expensive to reduce these to rice grain size.

For better understanding, I will call every device that has a camera carrier device from here on. This can z. Eg a video camera, small picture camera, SLR camera, notebook, smartwatch (wristwatch with PC function and / or built-in mobile phone features), tablet PC, webcam, drone, vehicle, plane, rocket, robot, surveillance camera, data glasses, mobile phone Phone - be among other Smartphone, Extreme Sports Camera, TV Studio / Cinema Movie Camera, SteadyCam, etc.

The invention specified in the claims 1 to 22 is based on the problem to provide a drive system for cameras of all kinds, which is able, the camera within a carrier device liquid and silent, with the motion effect almost like that of the human eye, to turn.

This problem is solved with the features listed in the claims 1 to 22.

• – die Kamera dreht sich innerhalb des Träger-Geräts (also z. B. keine Schwenkung eines Smartphone notwendig, um ein Zielobjekt, das etwas links oder rechts beim Fotografieren liegt),
• – macht recht fließende Bewegung,
• – lautlos in Bewegung
• – bringt kaum Zusatz-Gewicht mit,
• – extrem gut für kleine Geräte, vorzugsweise Smartphone/Mobiltelefone geeignet,
• – keine Verschleißteile, daher sehr langlebig,
• – eine recht flotte Änderung der Drehrichtung der Kamera möglich,
• – optimale Verwendung auch auf bewegende/fliegende Träger-Geräte, wie Fahrzeuge, Hubschrauber, Raketen, Drohnen, Tablett-PC-s,
• – optimal für Video-Überwachungs-Geräte,
• – optimal auch für Film-/TV-Studio-Zwecke
• – Verfolgung eines beweglichen Objektes
• – günstiges System in der Herstellung und einfache Vorrichtung.

Advantages of the invention are:

• The camera rotates within the carrier device (eg, no need to swivel a smartphone to get a target that is slightly to the left or right when photographing),
• - makes a very fluid movement,
• - silently on the move
• - hardly brings extra weight,
• - extremely well suited for small devices, preferably smartphones / mobile phones,
• - no wear parts, therefore very durable,
• - a fairly brisk change in the direction of rotation of the camera possible,
• - Optimal use also on moving / flying carrier devices, such as vehicles, helicopters, rockets, drones, tablet PCs,
• - optimal for video surveillance devices,
• - Optimal for film / TV studio purposes
• - Tracking a moving object
• - Convenient system in the production and simple device.

The invention is a drive system for the camera, or rather for the image sensor and its optical accompanying elements, which is able to track a target to be photographed, to take a video shot of a mobile object or person, or an automatic rotation of the image sensor and to achieve its optics elements to realize images or video recordings from behind and / or from the front (with only one image sensor). An extremely small mobile camera system that is also capable of being integrated in a small camera-carrier device, especially in a mobile phone (smartphone), tablet PC, webcam, wristwatch, etc. that is capable of being similar to that A human's eye or even faster to move and dynamically capture the field of view within existing parameters. The drive system is quite fast, noiseless, and can rotate or rotate within the camera-carrier device to move, rotate, or rotate the camera so that you can capture images from different angles, as well as the back and front of the carrier device ,

Incidentally, the invention may be designed to be able to automatically detect whether the image sensor and its optical elements should be directed forward or backward within the carrier apparatus.

Embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to FIGS 1 to 19 explained. Show it:

1 a variant wherein the ball camera is simply attached to electroactive plastic coil springs,

2 a variant with bi-polymer drive elements,

3 a variant with several electroactive plastic coil springs,

4 a variant with electro-active plastic spiral spring, which are installed in a gimbal,

5 a simplified part gimbal suspension, with only two axes

6 a variant with electroactive plastic elements, in the form of bands or strips

7 a special plastic window constructed of electroactive plastic

8th a 3D camera

9 an easily removable camera

10 shows a variant that is equipped with a sound source detection system.

11 a concave image sensors,

12 a variant, wherein the stopping of the ball camera takes place in a certain position via an electromagnetically removable pin,

13 a variant that is installed in a smartphone, the ball camera is also rotatable in the optical axis.

14 a smartphone with the built-in camera on the edge,

15 a smartphone with the ball camera installed at the corner,

16 a variant wherein a metal spiral is coated with an electroactive polymer.

17 shows a variant, wherein not only the image sensor but also a kind of illumination, which illuminates the field of view of the sensor, is movably installed,

18 the arrangement of the semiconductor diodes in the circuit,

19 a variant in which the spiral consists of two electroactive polymer layers.

Electroactive polymers (referred to as "EAP" for short) are polymers that can change shape by the application of electrical voltage. It is generally differentiated between ionic EAP and electronic EAP. In ionic EAP, the mechanism of action is based on mass transport (diffusion) of ions, whereas the mode of action of electronic EAP is based on electronic charge transport. Advantages of EAP compared to other actor materials, such as As piezoelectric ceramics, are the extremely high strains that can be achieved as well as the low density of the polymers and the free formability.

The first scientific work on EAP was published in 1880 by Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen. He performed an experiment with a rubber strap, which he hung on one end and stretched the free end with weights. After an electric charge, he noticed a length increase of several percent. As soon as the rubber was discharged electrically, the expansion decreased.

The same principle is used here for the movement of the camera. Again, electroactive polymers (plastics) in the form of ribbons or coil springs are incorporated and coupled to the camera, which is controlledly rotated within the carrier device.

The camera sensor 1 and its optical accompanying elements 2 are preferably in a small spherical housing 3 attached (from here the housing is called ball camera) that in a hollow sphere housing 4 (from now on this is called only hollow sphere), which is only slightly bigger than the ball camera, is appropriate. The sphere camera can simply be placed loosely and freely rotatable in the hollow sphere, using one or more electroactive plastic elements 5 connected to the sphere camera at one end and to the hollow sphere at the other end ( 1 ). The camera can also be used in a simple gimbal 8th be attached, in which case, the ball camera 3 no longer (or only rarely) touches the hollow sphere wall. The hollow sphere 4 is static mounted in some variants, so immobile, only the camera ball moves in it.

Specifically, a camera in a tablet PC, I-PAD, I-Phone, smartphone, or other mobile phone may be installed so as to be electrically rotatable in the housing in the rear or front and both for rear views and for front shots suitable is. Also in a mobile phone, the camera is preferably constructed in the form of a sphere and placed in a hollow sphere, much like the human eye is in its cavity, which is transparent or at least in part has a window through which the sphere camera the light gets from the environment. The ball camera is complete with image sensor 1 , Electronic components and accompanying optics elements 2 (eg lenses, mini prism, etc.). The globe camera 3 is not rotated as usual by gear or electric motors (not manually by touch), but by one or more electro-active plastic coil springs 5 or electroactive plastic strips 33 electrically controlled rotated or swiveled in a targeted direction. The rotation, or the rotation can be in one or more axes 7 respectively. Multi-axis rotation can be achieved by a gimbal suspension 8th be realized if the ball camera 3 should not touch the hollow sphere wall ( 2 ). However the simplest variant provides that the ball camera, in particular with small devices, into the hollow sphere 4 simply freely movable in it, whereby this by electro-active plastic coil spring 5 held and also turned. The globe camera 3 does not necessarily have to be stored. It can touch the walls of the hollow sphere, but its weight is very small and thus hardly friction occurs when it is turned back and forth by electroactive plastic coil springs. The material that makes up the sphere camera housing and the hollow sphere should be scratch resistant (at least the surface coatings that will rub against each other) and possibly also be self-lubricating (at least in some areas). The current signal transfer to the image sensor is effected by a flexible line 9 , Although the camera can have other shapes (such as an egg, oval shaped) or provided with small edges, but the shape of a ball is best suited for it. The ball camera is coupled to electroactive plastic (polymer) coil springs, which are also connected at the other end to the hollow sphere. It is pivoted or rotated in any direction, solely by expansion of the coil spring, which are put under tension, wherein in the center of which torque is generated. As soon as an electro-active plastic spiral spring is under tension, it will expand and build up a torque on the center point of the spiral. The electro-active plastic coil spring is very thin built, because this must be activated quickly and with very little power and also shorten quickly when the voltage is turned off. Finally, only a small amount of torque is needed to move a very small camera in a mobile phone. The ball camera is rotated by the electroactive plastic spirals, depending on which of the spirals is active, in any direction, quickly and silently. Depending on which of the electro-active plastic coil springs is active or energized, the ball camera is pivoted in the direction corresponding to the torque of the active electro-active plastic coil spring. Because the electro-active plastic coil springs / strips can turn the ball camera in one direction only when energized and turn back when the power is turned off, for each axis 7 at least two of them working against each other electro-active plastic coil spring 5 / Strip 33 necessary to actively swing the ball camera 3 to reach in the desired direction. If one of them is activated, the ball-camera is also turned in the direction, despite the slight resistance of the mechanical tension of the counter-spiral. If the voltage is missing on an electroactive plastic coil spring, the ball camera rotates back to its original position. If the other spiral spring-shaped electroactive plastic element is activated, the ball camera then rotates in the other direction. A controller 6 ensures that the voltage of the electroactive plastic coil spring / strip is accurate and that the specific position of the ball camera also holds. Although the drive with electro-active plastic coil springs / strips is not suitable for extremely fast swiveling, it can also be controlled quite precisely, it is maintenance-free and reliable. The thinner and smaller the electroactive plastic elements are, the faster the reaction is and also less the power consumption. The maintenance of a position of the ball camera is achieved by constant, precisely controlled voltage maintenance on the corresponding electroactive plastic (polymer) elements, or by maintaining the electrical voltage. As the stress on an element increases, torque in the electroactive plastic element is also increased, thus generating a force. The fact that the electroactive plastic elements are thin and have only a small mass, a reaction inertia is barely noticeable. This method is relatively simple and also works very reliable and completely maintenance free. Above all, no further installation measures are necessary: only the electro-active plastic elements (eg install electro-active plastic spiral spring on the rotary axes, with power lines 10 at the control 6 and electronic voltage generator 39 couple and the drive is ready. As soon as fine, precisely controlled voltage values flow through the electroactive plastic elements, they will become more or less active and undergo an expansion. Because they are spirally shaped, a torque is generated which accomplishes a rotation of the ball camera. The ball camera is so small devices, such. As mobile phones (smartphone), notebook or tablet PC-s very small, weighs only a few grams and this can be rotated with very little force. The electro-active plastic elements hardly burden the battery of the camera carrier device, because the power consumption is very low. The electroactive polymer coil springs can be powered by the electronic voltage generator 39 (a kind of voltage transformer) are supplied. The task of the evaluation unit / controller 6 , which supplies the coil spring with electricity, it is dependent on the necessary rotation of the camera to release a certain voltage to the corresponding electro-active plastic coil spring, so that they are active with the desired intensity. The expansion is lightning fast, also because the coil spring is quite small and has only a small mass. The removal takes place just as quickly when the voltage is switched off. This allows relatively fast movements of the ball camera. The ball camera is coupled to the hollow sphere via several electroactive plastic spiral springs ( 3 ), at the center of which the axes of rotation for the ball camera are located. Several such electroactive plastic coil springs 5 which are arranged in two-dimensional axes or even three-dimensional, thereby enabling two- or three-dimensional rotary movements of the ball-camera housing. A movement of the sphere camera in two axes would be perfectly sufficient for our purposes. The less mass the coil spring has, the faster its reaction or movement. To pivot in any direction in To achieve two axes, at least four such electroactive plastic elements are necessary (two per axis of rotation, arranged mutually working). On the 6 a simple variant has been shown, the ball camera simply depends on electro-active plastic coil spring and excited by their activation in certain directions of rotation. Through interaction of the software, which also controls the drive system control unit, the ball camera will perform smooth movements while tracking a target.

Assisted by the software (mainly that of the carrier device), the target to be photographed can be captured and tracked if it does not move too fast, with images always near the center of the video recording, even for single-frame images. So-called face tracking can be realized because the camera could track the face of a moving person by their rotation and always place the face in the center of the captured images. The attempt of the object to be photographed to move out of the central area of the image sensor detection angle is fully compensated for by pivoting the ball camera until the end of the entire field of view is reached. This is similar, just as a person pursues a moving object with his eyes without turning his head. The ball camera can also be rotated completely backwards, with an additional rear camera would be omitted (especially interesting for mobile phones).

The camera of the invention here has clear advantages over the prior art. This camera is rotated within the carrier device via electro-active plastic (polymer) spiral spring or electroactive plastic strips, the rotation being relatively quick and silent. It can take pictures from behind and from the front and it is not only rotated back and forth, but also a target tracking is feasible (an automatic target tracking can thus be easily realized). Because not all the camera-carrier case here 11 turns, but only the part, or the compact extra housing 3 in which the image sensor 1 and its appearance 2 are located, a relatively fast swing is possible. The globe camera 3 would look like an eye of a human here and there. An optimal use is also in a surveillance camera, drone camera, robot camera, vehicle camera, etc.

On the 2 Spiral spring elements are provided as driving elements, which consist of two layers: one of them is an electroactive polymer layer 40 , which is stretchable under electrical tension. The spiral spring elements 41 here are not built entirely from electroactive polymer, but are designed in the form of bi-polymer coating, where a coating is a normal plastic 42 which is electrically neutral, non-activatable and the other is an electroactive polymer. The spiral is similar to the coil spring built by wind-up mechanical watches. It has two wider surfaces: an inner surface 46 and an outer surface 47 , One of the surfaces (whether the outer surface or the inner surface is constructed of electro-active plastic, this way for the rotation of the ball camera 3 For example, the differentiated expansions created by electroactive plastic coating in the spiral are converted into a torque by stress. The rotation occurs, as already known, by the different coefficients of expansion of the two interconnected polymer / plastic layers, one of which is electroactive, which makes up the coil spring. The operating principle is similar to bimetallic coil springs, which can rotate at temperature differences because the metal layers have different coefficients of expansion. Such bimetallic coil springs were formerly used in simple bi-metal thermometers with bimetallic spiral spring in it. Of course, there does not need to be a 360 ° turn here, which is continuous, like an electric motor, but rather, these are pivoting motions that turn the camera back and forth.

The drive element or the spiral can instead of two plastic layers, made of a metal or alloy 43 be built on a surface with an electro-active plastic coating 40 is afflicted. This coating would cause the expansion and thereby deform the spiral, or generate a torque in the middle of the spiral, which can be used as a driving force ( 16 ).

The same principle is used here for the rotation of the camera of a smartphone or other camera-carrier device. Here you can see several bi-polymer spirals 41 with electroactive plastic coating or electroactive plastic spirals 5 which can rotate the ball camera in any direction. In addition, it is possible to use two electro-active plastic coil springs per axis of rotation, which generate mutual torques. The electroactive plastic coil springs are deliberately put under tension and actively expanded thereby. A rotation of the ball camera in two axes would be fully sufficient and would only need two or four electroactive plastic coil spring. A simplified partial gimbal suspension 13 , with only two axes can be very suitable for this. This suspension 13 exists, as in the picture 5 shown, consisting of only a quarter circle long arm 14 , which at both ends, each with a swivel joint 15 Is provided. At one swivel joint, the ball camera is attached and at the other the hollow sphere is coupled. At the swivel joints an electro-active plastic spiral spring is ever installed, which can cause a rotation of the body attached to the joint in current flow. The voltage is guaranteed separately for each coil spring by separate flexible cables.

For pivoting in the vertical axis 7A becomes the electroactive plastic coil spring 5A activated. To a swing in the horizontal axis 7B to realize, is the electro-active plastic coil spring 5B put under tension and thereby extended. The incorporation of four electro-active plastic coil springs (installed in pairs and in opposite directions of rotation) allows more accurate rotation of the ball camera.

Because the ball camera 3 within the hollow sphere 4 is rotatable, this can be used both as a rear camera and front camera. Of course, the ball camera does not rotate uncontrolled, but this is very accurately positioned on the desired field of view via the control of the electro-active plastic spirals. Stopping in the desired position can be accomplished by maintaining the voltage of the active electro-active plastic coil spring and possibly by momentarily activating the opposite electroactive plastic coil spring. The hollow sphere 4 It can be built completely transparent, or it can be placed in certain places with large windows 17 equipped, through which the light arrives from the motifs, or environment in the camera ball and its sensor also reached. Small additional optics elements (lenses) can successfully correct for slight image distortion caused by the spherical windows. The camera can also be more or less moved out of the carrier device to increase the viewing angle. In that case, a further electroactive plastic spiral or electroactive plastic strip would be necessary, which would more or less extend the hollow sphere or a hollow cylinder in which the ball camera would be mounted, out of the carrier device.

The conductor connections between the electroactive plastic coil spring / strip, as well as moving ball camera 3 and a signal processing unit 34 which is outside the encapsulated sphere are slightly longer, flexible conduits 9 that do not interfere with the ball camera's movements. These conductors or micro-cables have to withstand many swings and always allow a perfect signal transmission. Interweaving micro-cables, as known from loudspeaker membranes, can withstand a great many vibrations. Although not only vibrating the ball camera, but also rotating it back and forth, such cables can withstand a few years of daily use. You can theoretically also use the electroactive plastic coil spring for power signal transport.

As described, the ball camera can simply be loosely installed in the hollow sphere without any bearings. Optimal and a bit more expensive would be a gimbal (it is enough a much simplified gimbal 13 , with only a small arm 14 , like in the 5 is shown to install). A controller 6 can generate a counterforce quickly when reaching a certain rotational position of the ball camera via electro-active plastic coil spring until the expansion of the active coil spring decreases a bit, which counteracts a further rotation of the ball camera. For a quick stop of the rotation you can also use small bristles 49 or place small sponge bodies between the hollow sphere and the sphere camera, these being free on one end and coupled with either the wall of the hollow sphere or the sphere on the other end.

When using fully gimbal 8th , or in variants, where the ball camera is simply loose in the hollow sphere, no further oscillations are to be expected as soon as the desired positioning is achieved and the active electroactive plastic coil springs are supplied with uniform voltage. Because the camera is also around the optical axis 36 can rotate, the photographing or generation of perfect images even when tilting the carrier device is possible. The picture would always be perfectly straight, no matter how you tilt the camera. Using the control unit and, of course, software support for the carrier device, the camera image sensor can automatically be rotated to take widescreen pictures for video recordings. For single-frame shooting, if desired, the photos can be vertically aligned.

In the 6 is a variant with electroactive plastic elements, in the form of ribbons or strips 33 represented, with a pivoting of the ball camera is thus achievable. Here are electro-active plastic elements installed, which can by tension, expand and thereby deform, causing a pivoting movement of the ball camera. These connect the sphere camera to the hollow sphere, with the connection tangent to the sphere camera (similar to the human eye and its muscles).

In a variant that in the 7 is shown, the material of the optical window 17 of the camera-carrier device, which protects the visual field of the image sensor, from an electroactive, transparent plastic 18 made capable of being electrically controlled to expand, the edge being of a non-stretchable ring 44 consists. Because the expansion is limited by the ring, it temporarily becomes a dome 19 form outward, in which the spherical camera can slip into it, thereby significantly expanding the viewing angle, such as when the carrier device (eg the mobile phone) is on the table and one would like to monitor the whole room remotely from this position. By the rotation of the camera, and the generation of the dome 19 , the field of view would be monitored almost semi-spherically. With a sound control coupled to the drive system, the camera could then be automatically directed to where the sound or voice is coming from. In this case, the camera-carrier device would have to be over a stereo microphone 28 or directional microphone, which is also the case with mobile phones (smartphones). An electronic coupling of the two systems, ie audio and optical detection systems, can control the drive system. This will automate camera movement, directing it towards the voice / sound source for image capture / video capture.

The rotatable ball camera can be equipped with a return spring 20 or a rest position permanent magnet 21 that has a ferromagnet area or ferromagnet body 22 (preferably iron or nickel) in a rest position, be equipped. The return actuator spring or the rest position permanent magnet ensures that when the active rotation of the ball camera is switched off, a certain restoring force turns the ball camera to a certain position. Another permanent magnet built into the hollow sphere wall attracts the ferromagnetic body or other permanent magnet incorporated into the ball camera ( 10 ).

The electrical and signal transmission from the sensor to the evaluation unit is made by thin and extremely flexible cable 9 which is ideally shaped like a spring. The fine signal lines are intertwined, much like the leads of a magnetic coil in a speaker membrane. This method has proven itself for a long time to protect the lines from damage. It is well-known that the loudspeaker membrane during its entire "life" undergoes a very high number of oscillations (several hundreds of billions !!), whereby the power lines between the housing and the loudspeaker coil undergo innumerable movements and oscillations, even after years remain intact. The same technique could be used here as well. This would ensure long-lasting, flawless signal and power transmission between the image sensor and the carrier device (eg, a smartphone) despite the movement of the image sensor. Using a longer conduit that is finely intertwined, and which is also more or less helically shaped like a spring, may allow for nearly complete rotation of the image sensor and its optical elements. The inner diameter of the hollow sphere is only slightly larger than the sphere in which the image sensor and its accompanying elements are installed. By generating torques over the electroactive plastic coil spring, one can achieve any rotation of the ball camera.

Likewise the lighting elements 23 Whether they emit radiation in the spectrum of visible light or in the infrared range, they can be moved with the camera. This allows optimal illumination that tracks the movement of the field of view of the ball camera. A flashlight, preferably a strong LED built into the camera ball, can also be used for this ( 17 ).

In the 4 is a variant with electroactive plastic coil spring, which are installed in a cardan suspension shown. The spiral spring are micro-electroactive plastic elements, which by tension, expand quickly and thus cause a movement of the camera housing. You can put the ball camera in a full-gimbal suspension 8th (Three-axis torsional freedom) or partial gimbal suspension 13 with only two axes of rotation, with the axes of rotation coupled with electroactive plastic spring ( 5 ). Depending on which of them is active, a swing of the ball camera is completed. Because the electro-active plastic elements can only rotate the ball camera in one direction (and turn it back when switched off), at least two mutually working electroactive plastic elements are required for each axis to actively pivot the ball camera into the desired position To reach direction. If one of them is activated, the Bullet Camera will be turned in the direction as well, despite the slight resistance of the counteracting spiral. If you switch off the electroactive plastic coil spring, the ball camera rotates back to its original position. When the other electroactive plastic element is activated, the ball camera will turn in the other direction. A controller ensures that the activation of the electro-active plastic elements takes place exactly and also keeps the specific position of the ball camera.

Although the version with electro-active plastic elements is not suitable for extremely fast swiveling, it can be controlled quite precisely and is maintenance-free and reliable. The thinner and smaller the electro-active plastic coil springs / strips are, the faster the reaction is and also smaller the power consumption. The Maintaining a position of the ball camera is achieved by constant voltage maintenance, or controlled current flow through the particular electroactive plastic element. As the electrical voltage increases, the expansion effect of the electro-active plastic coil spring is also increased, producing more torque. This method is relatively simple and also works reliably. Above all, no further installation measures are necessary here: only the electro-active plastic elements (eg install electro-active plastic spiral spring on the rotary axes, connect with power lines from the control and the drive is ready As plastic elements are built up, they will expand more or less and generate torque with one expanse, because they are spiral-shaped, creating a torque in the middle that accomplishes a rotation of the ball-type camera (similar to the earlier simple ones) bimetallic coil spring thermometers).

For a 3D image capture, two such cameras and systems are needed, which are best built at a distance from each other ( 8th ).

In all variants, the camera will be installed like an eye of a human in a hollow sphere and also be equipped with a tracking mechanism that is controlled by a software that then automatically tracks detected person or face.

The camera can be designed to be easily lifted out of the cellphone or tablet PC electromagnetically or electrically, so it will look a bit out if the device stays in place ( 9 ). The cover lens or dome or a transparent hollow cylinder 24 in which the camera 3 is in this case can easily be moved out. Ideal would be a transparent hollow cylinder with dome-shaped ends, which also Blicklichtfenstern 17 for the image sensor. The hollow cylinder could be made with a ferromagnetic ring 25 be equipped in the middle, by an externally statically mounted electromagnetic coil 26 is tightened, the hollow cylinder, depending on how the mobile phone is raised or the camera moves forward or backward. Instead of the ferromagnetic ring, can also be a permanent magnet or permanent magnet ring 27 installed, which then moves, depending on how the electromagnetic coil is poled. The variant with the permanent magnet is easier to produce because only a small magnet at the bottom of the cylinder and an electromagnetic coil 26 under it are necessary. By magnetic field interaction, the cylinder 24 pushed up or tightened, depending on how the coil is poled. The dome-shaped ends, of course, are transparent and each form a window through which the camera sensor can "look out". Through the knoll hardly arises, or a slight distortion of the image, which is predictable and software moderately easily correctable. The use of a correction lens in the optical system of the image sensor can also cancel the distortion.

The 10 shows a variant that is equipped with a sound source detection system. Here is a stereo microphone 28 used to a sound source 29 to locate. Once this is done, the drive system is controlled via a control system that directs the camera right where the sound source is located. That would be handy if you record videos and the recorded person also speaks. The camera would automatically track the sound source in this case.

The tracking of moving objects can be supported by the software of the carrier device. On the control screen of the carrier device, one can mark an object by finger-touch and that would then automatically track the camera, no matter how it moves or how the camera carrier device is held. However, the main task is done by the drive system, which allows the rotation of the image sensor.

When taking pictures or recording video using conventional mobile phones (smartphones), you notice that the objects that are on the edge are often slightly distorted. This is because the image sensor is built flat and the optics correction elements that could fix the problem barely find room in a smartphone. The image sensor should not necessarily be flat, but can be made slightly concave to better mimic the retina of the human eye. In this case, hardly any distortions of the image motif would be perceptible ( 11 ). For the manufacturing process of such concave image sensors 30 For example, a dome-shaped plastic micro-mat with a memory effect can be used very well. Once the doping is complete and the physical strength of the sensor is achieved, the dome-shaped plastic part will flex flat again and thus detach from the sensor. In one variant, the image sensor is always flexibly shaped into the camera. By a special electrically formable polymer layer 48 and a control to the image sensor, which is coupled to this layer on the back, always be deformed and thus adapted to the lighting conditions. An autofocus function would also be feasible. Thus, the optical elements would not have to be moved too much, but rather the image sensor can change its degree of bending, or flexibly design ( 11 ).

On the 12 a variant has been shown, wherein the stopping of the ball camera in a certain position via an electromagnetically movable pen 31 he follows. Once the desired position of the ball camera is reached, it should then be stopped immediately in position and held so. Stopping can be done by a small pin that passes through an electromagnetic coil 31 is moved out of the hollow sphere wall in the direction of the ball camera and then touches them stop.

The ball camera does not necessarily have to turn completely, but it is sufficient for many applications, just a slight tilt in two axes (two-dimensional movement - up, down, right, left, and thus any combination between these four directions), on many Ways can be achieved. Like an eye, they would follow the object and always shoot sharp photos, even if objects were moving. If you build two such spherical cameras on a carrier device (eg smartphone, laptop, tablet PC, webcam, etc.) at a small distance from each other, you can achieve stereo images or 3D images.

The 13 shows a variant that is installed in a smartphone, the ball camera is also rotatable in the optical axis. This variant is interesting, because no matter how straight or oblique one holds the smartphone when taking pictures, always good even images are created when this function is activated. In video mode, the ball camera is rotated so that the images are perfectly horizontal, so you make no more mistakes with the different attitudes of the Smartphone with video or picture taking. For rotation, a simple center of gravity shift down or a small electrically movable or tilting weight 35 which is built into the ball camera, which always aligns the ball camera so that the images are perfectly recorded in a vertical position. In the case that you want to record videos when you turn on in video mode, the weight piece becomes 35 electrically around the optical axis 36 rotated by 90 ° and then you can make video recordings with the video always taken in a horizontal position, even when turning the smartphone in any direction. The weight piece may be a permanent magnet, which is connected by one or more electromagnets 50 is offset by 90 ° about the optical axis. The electromagnet 50 is arranged so that it builds one pole in the region of the permanent magnet and the other outside, which has no influence on the permanent magnet ( 13a ). The variant in the 13b is even more elegant. Here, the electromagnet is closer to the permanent magnet and its two ends are slightly bent to limit the movement of the permanent magnet by exactly 90 °. Both ends 53 of the electromagnet 50 are polarized and depending on how the current flows into the coil 54 is regulated, the magnetic field orientation is generated. Because the core 52 This electromagnet consists of iron, as soon as the permanent magnet is attracted in one direction, it adheres to the iron core at one end 53 and stays that way even when the solenoid is turned off. Thus, only a small current pulse is necessary to achieve the pivoting, or weight shift by 90 ° in the camera ball. When the weight on the other side is to be shifted, the electromagnet becomes 50 reversed by a changed current flow and thus it generates repulsive forces at the point of detention, wherein the permanent magnet releases and moves in the other direction until it then sticks again, but now to the other pole. A counterweight 51 is additionally and statically mounted in the ball camera opposite, so that no weight shift due to the electromagnet, which is also statically mounted takes place. The electromagnet is controlled by a controller 55 controlled either integrated into the rotatable housing or installed outside in the mobile phone. The weight shift thus causes only the permanent magnet with its pivoting movements. Where he stops, the center of gravity is shifted and thus the ball camera, which is freely rotatable, rotated in the corresponding direction by the gravitational force.

The 14 and 15 show a smartphone 37 where the ball camera 3 on the edge or even better on one of its corners 38 is installed, with a rotation from front to back allows a more than 180 ° image recording. The detection angle can be over 300 °, considering that the camera can also be directed obliquely downwards, both front and back (if, for example, the smartphone is held vertically).

16 shows a variant wherein a metal spiral is coated with an electroactive polymer. The metal spiral 43 is by applying a voltage to the electroactive polymer coating 40 stretched on one side and thus deformed, with a torque in the middle is generated. Of course, the metal of the spiral of the electroactive plastic layer is electrically through an insulator 45 isolated because otherwise only a short circuit would occur. As insulator layer, a simple paint layer can be used.

The 17 shows the installation of lighting elements, preferably LED, which are directly coupled to the camera and rotate with the camera. This would optimize the lighting of the image, because each rotation of the camera also aligns the lighting in the direction that always is Light in the image sensor is optimally reflected back from the image motif.

Like in the 18 As shown, the electroactive polymer elements 40 , each with a semiconductor diode 16 are arranged, which are then arranged so that when a current flow, one element is under voltage and reverse current flow, the other. This has the advantage that in that case two electroactive polymer elements are coupled with only two instead of four lines. Only the current flow Umpolung determines which of the polymer elements is activated.

On the 19 a variant has been shown in which the spiral of two electroactive polymer layers 40 which is electrically separated by an insulator layer 45 are separated. The two broad faces of the spiral, both the outer surface 47 , as well as the inner surface 46 consist here of electroactive polymers and are set separately from the controller under tension. If the outer surface is put under tension, then the spiral contracts more closely and thus turns into its center. Depending on how long the spiral is built, is accordingly more or less the rotational movement. Once the inner surface is tensioned, this surface expands, causing the spiral to spread apart. Also in this case, a rotational movement takes place in the center of the spiral, but in the opposite direction, as before. Here, too, two electrical lines are sufficient to control both surfaces of the spiral separately. However, it requires again the installation of at least two semiconductor diodes, which are arranged opposite to each coupled to one of the polymer layers and thereby separate the stress build-up for each layer from each other, as on 18b shown.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Camera sensor / image sensor

2

optical accompanying elements

3

spherical housing / sphere camera

4

Hollow spheres housing

5

Electro-active plastic spiral / spiral spring

6

control

7

axes

8th

Gimbal assembly

9

flexible line

10

Power lines Power line for electro-active plastic spiral spring

11

Camera support housing

12

Heating coil / Wedel

13

simplified gimbal with only two axles

14

Arm (suspension part)

15

swivel

16

Semiconductor diode (also 16A and 16B )

17

light window

18

Electroactive plastic in the plastic window

19

knoll

20

Re spring

21

Rest position permanent magnet

22

Ferromagnet area or ferromagnet body

23

lighting elements

24

hollow cylinder

25

ferromagnetic ring

26

Electromagnetic coil

27

Permanent magnet ring

28

Stereo Microphone

29

Sound source

30

Concave image sensors

31

pen

32

Electromagnetic coil for the pen

33

Electroactive plastic elements in the form of ribbons / strips

34

Signal processing unit

35

Weight piece

36

optical axis

37

Mobile phone / smartphone

38

Corner of the mobile phone

39

electronic voltage generator

40

electroactive polymer layer

41

Bi-polymer spiral

42

normal plastic coating

43

Metal spiral

44

non-stretchable ring

45

insulator

46

palm

47

outer surface

48

Shapeable layer

49

bristles

50

electromagnet

51

counterweight

52

Electromagnet core

53

Electromagnet core ends

54

Solenoid coil

55

Control for the electromagnet

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• GB 2439346 [0009]
• JP 080272446 [0011]

Claims (22)

Drive system for an image sensor and its optical accompanying elements of an image or video recording device / camera-carrier device, characterized in that it is rotatable with a freely rotatable within the camera-carrier device camera, which is preferably spherical is coupled, wherein the drive system of at least - an electroactive polymer / plastic element, which undergoes an expansion under tension and thereby generates a torque that is constructed in the form of a wire, a strip or a band and that with a End is tangentially coupled to the freely rotatable camera and with the other end to the carrier device, - an evaluation unit or controller that sets the electroactive plastic element under electrical tension / current and thereby actively expands him is. Drive system for an image sensor and its optical accompanying elements of an image or video recording device / camera-carrier device, characterized in that it is with a freely movable within a camera-carrier device camera, which is preferably constructed spherical , wherein the drive system comprises at least one drive element, which is constructed in the form of a band, which is constructed like a spiral / spiral spring, with one end with the freely rotatable camera and with the other end with the camera carrier Device is composed of at least two layers, wherein one layer forms the outer surface and the other, the inner surface of the spiral, at least one of which is an electroactive polymer / plastic layer, which undergoes an expansion under tension and thereby generates a torque , - power lines which are coupled to the electroactive polymer coating and supply them with power, - an evaluation unit or Steueru ng, which sets the layer of electroactive plastic / polymer under tension and thereby expands them actively exists. Drive system for an image sensor and its optical accompanying elements of an image or video recording device / camera-carrier device, according to claim 2, characterized in that the drive element in the form of a spiral / coil spring, made of metal or alloy consists, wherein on one side / surface is afflicted with an electroactive polymer / plastic built. Drive system for an image sensor and its optical accompanying elements of an image or video recording device, according to claim 3, characterized in that the metal / alloy in the coil spring is electrically isolated from the electroactive polymer coating. Drive system for an image sensor and its optical accompanying elements of an image or video recording device / camera-carrier device, according to one of the claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the spiral consists only of two electroactive polymer layers, the electrically controllable separately and an insulating layer therebetween electrically separating the polymer layers from each other. Drive system for an image sensor and its optical accompanying elements of an image or video recording device, according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the insulation consists of a lacquer layer. Drive system for an image sensor and its optical accompanying elements of an image or video recording device / camera carrier device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the image sensor and its optical accompanying elements in a separate housing installed which is preferably spherical in shape and is rotatable within the camera-carrier device, which is placed in a hollow sphere with light windows that is part of the housing of the camera-carrier device. Drive system for an image sensor and its optical accompanying elements of an image or video recording device / camera carrier device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a plurality of electroactive plastic coil springs are arranged, which are arranged so that they can turn the camera in different axes. Drive system for an image sensor and its optical accompanying elements of an image or video recording device / camera carrier device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least two mutually working electroactive plastic elements, preferably electroactive polymer per axis of rotation Spiral springs are installed, which are supplied separately with voltage. Drive system for an image sensor and its optical accompanying elements of an image or video recording device / camera-carrier device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one or more lighting elements, in the visible light spectrum or in the Infrared area, are integrated with the rotatable camera and are movable with. Drive system for an image sensor and its optical accompanying elements of an image or video recording device / camera carrier device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stopping of the rotatable image sensor and its optical elements in one certain position via an incorporated into the hollow sphere electromagnetically herausfahrbaren pin that touches the camera and prevents further rotation takes place. Drive system for an image sensor and its optical accompanying elements of an image or video recording device / camera carrier device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the system is duplicated and is designed for 3D image acquisition. Drive system for an image sensor and its optical accompanying elements of an image or video recording device / camera-carrier device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the camera from the camera-carrier device electromagnetically or by further electroactive Plastic elements are easily removable. Drive system for an image sensor and its optical accompanying elements of an image or video recording device / camera-carrier device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the evaluation unit or the controller coupled to a sound source detection system is and by the corresponding control of the electroactive polymers, the camera rotates in the sound source direction. Drive system for an image sensor and its optical accompanying elements of an image or video recording device / camera-carrier device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the camera is mounted in a gimbal on whose axes at least one each Electro-active plastic coil spring is installed. Drive system for an image sensor and its optical accompanying elements of an image or video recording device / camera-carrier device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the camera is controlled rotatable within the carrier device in the optical axis , Drive system for an image sensor and its optical accompanying elements of an image or video recording device / camera carrier device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a spring, which with the rotatable housing of the image sensor with the Optics elements and the hollow sphere is coupled, as a return spring is installed. Drive system for an image sensor and its optical accompanying elements of an image or video recording device / camera-carrier device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the camera is installed at the edge or at the corner of the camera-carrier device is, with an all-round viewing angle range from the perspective of the image sensor is available ( 15 ). Drive system for an image sensor and its optical accompanying elements of an image or video recording device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the camera is rotatable only on an axis with two image-subject detection main positions of 0 ° and 180 ° °, where 0 ° stands for picture / video recording from the front and 180 ° for picture / video recording from the back of the camera carrier. Drive system for an image sensor and its optical accompanying elements of an image or video recording device / camera carrier device according to claim 19, characterized in that the camera further image motif detection intermediate positions from 0 ° to 180 ° can take. Drive system for an image sensor and its optical accompanying elements of an image or video recording device / camera-carrier device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the image sensor of the camera is not flat, but rather concave. Drive system for an image sensor and its optical accompanying elements of an image or video recording device / camera carrier device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electroactive polymer / plastic elements are coupled to semiconductor diodes , which redirect a current depending on the current flow direction to a specific polymer / plastic element.

Images