Abstract: A wafer level camera module can be easily connected to a host device via mounting surface contacts. The module includes an electrically controllable active optical element and a flexible printed circuit that provides electrical connection between the optical element and surface conductors on a mounting surface of the module. The surface conductors can be a group of solder balls, and the module can have another group of solder balls that make connection to another electrical component of the module, such as an image sensor. All of the solder balls can be coplanar in a predetermined grid pattern, and all of the components of the device can be surrounded by a housing such that the camera module is an easily mounted ball grid array type package.

Abstract: An electrically controllable optical lens apparatus makes use of fixed lenses and an active optical element together in a lens enclosure. The enclosure may be a barrel structure that is easily mounted to a camera device having an image sensor. The active optical element, such as a tunable liquid crystal lens, receives an electrical signal from the camera device via electrical conductors integral with the lens enclosure that provide electrical pathways between the active element on the interior of the enclosure and surface contacts on the camera device. The enclosure may be a two-piece structure, and the electrical conductors may be attached to either piece of the structure. The lens enclosure may also be threaded for attachment to the camera device. The electrical conductors may also use spring loaded contact portions or molded interconnect devices.

Abstract: A focus free camera module uses fixed lenses within a housing that are combined with an electrically controllable active optical element, such as a tunable liquid crystal lens. The fixed lenses provide a desired amount of optical power, but the manufacturing tolerances of the module are insufficient to ensure a proper focus of an image on an image sensor. The active optical element is therefore used to compensate for any variations in the optical power to achieve the desired focus. To ensure an effective compensation, the module may be constructed so that, when the variation in optical power due to manufacturing tolerances is at a maximum, the desired focus is achieved when the active optical element is at zero optical power. All other variations may then be compensated by adjusting the active optical element to increase its optical power.

Abstract: A wafer level camera module can be easily connected to a host device via mounting surface contacts. The module includes an electrically controllable active optical element and a flexible printed circuit that provides electrical connection between the optical element and surface conductors on a mounting surface of the module. The surface conductors can be a group of solder balls, and the module can have another group of solder balls that make connection to another electrical component of the module, such as an image sensor. All of the solder balls can be coplanar in a predetermined grid pattern, and all of the components of the device can be surrounded by a housing such that the camera module is an easily mounted ball grid array type package.

Abstract: An electrically controllable optical lens apparatus makes use of fixed lenses and an active optical element together in a lens enclosure. The enclosure may be a barrel structure that is easily mounted to a camera device having an image sensor. The active optical element, such as a tunable liquid crystal lens, receives an electrical signal from the camera device via electrical conductors integral with the lens enclosure that provide electrical pathways between the active element on the interior of the enclosure and surface contacts on the camera device. The enclosure may be a two-piece structure, and the electrical conductors may be attached to either piece of the structure. The lens enclosure may also be threaded for attachment to the camera device. The electrical conductors may also use spring loaded contact portions or molded interconnect devices.