Patents by Inventor Alfred N. Mireault
Alfred N. Mireault has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11971651Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera with folded optics. Some embodiments include a voice coil motor (VCM) actuator module to provide autofocus (AF) and/or optical image stabilization (OIS) movement. Some embodiments include suspension arrangements. Some embodiments include flexure arrangements.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2022Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Shashank Sharma, Alfred N. Mireault
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Publication number: 20240121495Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera with folded optics and a bearing suspension arrangement. In some examples, a folded optics arrangement of the camera may include one or more lens elements and light path folding elements (e.g., prisms). Some embodiments include voice coil motor (VCM) actuator arrangements to move at least a portion of the optics arrangement along multiple axes.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2023Publication date: April 11, 2024Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Alfred N. Mireault, Nicholas D. Smyth, Scott W. Miller
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Publication number: 20240107144Abstract: An actuator assembly for a camera module includes a transversal actuator for motion of an image sensor in one or more directions orthogonal to an optical axis of the camera module. The actuator assembly also includes an axial actuator for motion of the image sensor in one or more directions parallel to the optical axis of the camera module. The actuator assembly further includes a shared magnet for operation of the transversal actuator for motion of the image sensor in the one or more directions orthogonal to the optical axis and for operation of the axial actuator for motion of the image sensor in one or more directions parallel to the optical axis. A portion of the transversal actuator and a portion of the axial actuator are configured to move with the image sensor. The shared magnet is static relative to motion of the image sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2023Publication date: March 28, 2024Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Scott W. Miller, Alfred N. Mireault, Vito Lisma, Hao Zheng
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Patent number: 11934090Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera with folded optics and lens shifting capabilities. Some embodiments include voice coil motor (VCM) actuator arrangements to provide autofocus (AF) and/or optical image stabilization (OIS) movement. Some embodiments include suspension arrangements.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2021Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Scott W. Miller, Alfred N. Mireault, Brad V. Johnson, Nicholas D. Smyth, Rummel R. Adriano, Shashank Sharma, Steven Webster
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Patent number: 11895386Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera with folded optics and a bearing suspension arrangement. In some examples, a folded optics arrangement of the camera may include one or more lens elements and light path folding elements (e.g., prisms). Some embodiments include voice coil motor (VCM) actuator arrangements.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2022Date of Patent: February 6, 2024Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Alfred N. Mireault, Nicholas D. Smyth, Scott W. Miller
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Patent number: 11831969Abstract: Small form factor cameras that may include one or more voice coil motor actuators, one or more springs and/or one or more motion damping mechanisms. Multiple cameras or camera modules may be positioned close together within a device. Multiple camera modules may be placed closely adjacent to one another by utilizing a recessed portion of the respective perimeters, such as by having one corner removed from rectangular perimeters. By aligning two such recessed portions two camera modules may be more placed more closely together, thereby reducing the distance between the apertures of the respective camera modules. Within asymmetric camera modules, individual components, such as magnets, coils, damping pins, gel pockets, etc., may be asymmetrically placed to correspond with, or in response to the reduced space resulting from the asymmetry of the camera module outline.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2022Date of Patent: November 28, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Alfred N. Mireault, Andrew S. Jozefov, Zachary W. Birnbaum, Scott W. Miller
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Publication number: 20230341652Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera with folded optics and lens shifting capabilities. In some examples, a folded optics arrangement of the camera may include one or more lens elements and light path folding elements (e.g., prisms). Some embodiments include voice coil motor (VCM) actuator arrangements, carrier arrangements, and/or suspension arrangements to provide autofocus (AF) and/or optical image stabilization (OIS) movement. Furthermore, some embodiments include position sensor arrangements for position sensing with respect to AF and/or OIS movement.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2023Publication date: October 26, 2023Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Nicholas D. Smyth, Alfred N. Mireault, Scott W. Miller, Shashank Sharma
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Patent number: 11726295Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera with folded optics and lens shifting capabilities. In some examples, a folded optics arrangement of the camera may include one or more lens elements and light path folding elements (e.g., prisms). Some embodiments include voice coil motor (VCM) actuator arrangements, carrier arrangements, and/or suspension arrangements to provide autofocus (AF) and/or optical image stabilization (OIS) movement. Furthermore, some embodiments include position sensor arrangements for position sensing with respect to AF and/or OIS movement.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2021Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Nicholas D. Smyth, Alfred N. Mireault, Scott W. Miller, Shashank Sharma
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Patent number: 11726343Abstract: Various embodiments include a folded optics camera actuator and suspension arrangement. For example, the folded optics camera may include one or more voice coil motor (VCM) actuators for moving a lens group, relative to an image sensor, in multiple directions. The folded optics camera may include a suspension arrangement that suspends a lens barrel arrangement from a base structure of the camera, and that allows motion of the lens group enabled by the VCM actuator(s). In some embodiments, the folded optics camera may include an actuator for moving a light folding element relative to the image sensor.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2021Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Alfred N. Mireault, Jason T. Weaver, Scott W. Miller
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Publication number: 20230229062Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera with folded optics and lens shifting capabilities. In some examples, a folded optics arrangement of the camera may include one or more lens elements and one or more light path folding elements (e.g., a prism). Some embodiments include voice coil motor (VCM) actuator arrangements, carrier arrangements, and/or suspension arrangements to provide autofocus (AF) and/or optical image stabilization (OIS) movement. Furthermore, some embodiments include position sensor arrangements for position sensing with respect to AF and/or OIS movement.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2023Publication date: July 20, 2023Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Alfred N. Mireault, Scott W. Miller
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Publication number: 20230185105Abstract: Various embodiments include perimeter sheet spring suspension arrangements for cameras. A perimeter sheet spring suspension arrangement may be used to suspend a moveable platform of the camera from a base structure of the camera, and allow a lens group of the camera to move laterally. According to some embodiments, the perimeter sheet spring suspension arrangement may include one or more tabs that may be used as bumpers that cushion lateral movement of the moveable platform.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2023Publication date: June 15, 2023Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Alfred N. Mireault, Scott W. Miller
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Patent number: 11647264Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera having one or more bumper arrangements to cushion lateral movement of one or more camera components. In some embodiments, the bumper arrangement(s) may cushion lateral movement of a moveable platform as the moveable platform approaches a stationary structure. According to some embodiments, the bumper arrangement(s) may include one or more bumper features attached to (and/or defined by) the moveable platform and/or the stationary structure.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2022Date of Patent: May 9, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Shashank Sharma, Alfred N. Mireault, Nicholas D. Smyth, Zachary W. Birnbaum
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Publication number: 20230100382Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera with a folded optics arrangement and include a voice coil motor (VCM) actuator assembly to provide autofocus (AF) and/or optical image stabilization (OIS) movement. The camera with folded optics and the associated VCM actuator assembly have a first rotational normal mode of free vibration such that lenses of the camera rotate about an optical axis of the camera such that the rotational motion in the first rotational mode of free vibration is invisible from a perspective of an image sensor of the camera.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2022Publication date: March 30, 2023Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Shashank Sharma, Brad V. Johnson, Alfred N. Mireault
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Patent number: 11614674Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera with folded optics and lens shifting capabilities. In some examples, a folded optics arrangement of the camera may include one or more lens elements and one or more light path folding elements (e.g., a prism). Some embodiments include voice coil motor (VCM) actuator arrangements, carrier arrangements, and/or suspension arrangements to provide autofocus (AF) and/or optical image stabilization (OIS) movement. Furthermore, some embodiments include position sensor arrangements for position sensing with respect to AF and/or OIS movement.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2022Date of Patent: March 28, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Alfred N. Mireault, Scott W. Miller
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Patent number: 11579461Abstract: Various embodiments include perimeter sheet spring suspension arrangements for cameras. A perimeter sheet spring suspension arrangement may be used to suspend a moveable platform of the camera from a base structure of the camera, and allow a lens group of the camera to move laterally. According to some embodiments, the perimeter sheet spring suspension arrangement may include one or more tabs that may be used as bumpers that cushion lateral movement of the moveable platform.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2020Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Alfred N. Mireault, Scott W. Miller
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Patent number: 11539864Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera with a folded optics arrangement and include a voice coil motor (VCM) actuator assembly to provide autofocus (AF) and/or optical image stabilization (OIS) movement. The camera with folded optics and the associated VCM actuator assembly have a first rotational normal mode of free vibration such that lenses of the camera rotate about an optical axis of the camera such that the rotational motion in the first rotational mode of free vibration is invisible from a perspective of an image sensor of the camera.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2019Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Shashank Sharma, Brad V. Johnson, Alfred N. Mireault
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Publication number: 20220321746Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera with folded optics and a bearing suspension arrangement. In some examples, a folded optics arrangement of the camera may include one or more lens elements and light path folding elements (e.g., prisms). Some embodiments include voice coil motor (VCM) actuator arrangements.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2022Publication date: October 6, 2022Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Alfred N. Mireault, Nicholas D. Smyth, Scott W. Miller
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Publication number: 20220286584Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera having one or more bumper arrangements to cushion lateral movement of one or more camera components. In some embodiments, the bumper arrangement(s) may cushion lateral movement of a moveable platform as the moveable platform approaches a stationary structure. According to some embodiments, the bumper arrangement(s) may include one or more bumper features attached to (and/or defined by) the moveable platform and/or the stationary structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2022Publication date: September 8, 2022Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Shashank Sharma, Alfred N. Mireault, Nicholas D. Smyth, Zachary W. Birnbaum
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Publication number: 20220214598Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera with folded optics. Some embodiments include a voice coil motor (VCM) actuator module to provide autofocus (AF) and/or optical image stabilization (OIS) movement. Some embodiments include suspension arrangements. Some embodiments include flexure arrangements.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2022Publication date: July 7, 2022Applicant: Apple Inc.Inventors: Shashank Sharma, Alfred N. Mireault
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Patent number: 11381747Abstract: Some embodiments include a camera system having a first camera unit and a second camera unit. The first camera unit includes an autofocus actuator. The autofocus actuator includes a first plurality of magnets for autofocus motion control of components of a first optical package. The first plurality of magnets is positioned to generate magnetic fields aligned in parallel with a first magnetic axis at a right angle to the optical axis of the first optical package. The second camera unit includes an optical image stabilization and autofocus actuator. The optical image stabilization and autofocus actuator includes a second plurality of magnets positioned to generate magnetic fields aligned along a second magnet axis at 45-degrees to the first magnetic axis. The second camera unit includes a third plurality of magnets positioned to generate magnetic fields aligned along a third magnetic axis at 135-degrees to the first magnetic axis.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2021Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignee: Apple Inc.Inventors: Scott W. Miller, Alfred N. Mireault, Simon S. Lee