Abstract: A controllable optical lens system, comprises a chamber housing first and second fluids, the interface between the fluids defining a lens surface. An electrode arrangement controls the shape of the lens surface and has first and second electrodes. A parameter is determined by the system dependent on the electrical resistance through at least one of the lens fluids between the first and second electrodes. Thus, the series resistance through a lens fluid is used as a measure of meniscus position.

Abstract: A controllable optical lens system, comprises a chamber housing first and second fluids, the interface between the fluids defining a lens surface. An electrode arrangement controls the shape of the lens surface and has first and second electrodes. A parameter is determined by the system dependent on the electrical resistance through at least one of the lens fluids between the first and second electrodes. Thus, the series resistance through a lens fluid is used as a measure of meniscus position.

Abstract: A controllable electrowetting lens system has a feedback control loop for controlling the electrode arrangement drive signals to implement an autofocus function. The feedback control loop comprising an image analysis focus detection system and a variable gain element. The gain is adjusted based on the lens condition, for example as sensed by a capacitance sensing arrangement. The autofocus control loop can be optimized to the lens characteristics (because the lens characteristics change over time) and/or to external conditions such as temperature.

Abstract: A controllable optical system has an optical component comprising a chamber housing first and second fluids, the interface between the fluids defining a boundary surface (15;88a,88b) and an electrode arrangement (14,16;86,87) for electrically controlling the shape of the boundary surface. A drive circuit is operable in an operative mode and an inoperative, power saving mode, and a storage capacitor maintains a signal on the electrode arrangement during the inoperative mode. Feedback is used control switching of the drive circuit between modes taking into account the boundary surface conditions.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an electronic device (1) comprising an optical device (10) having a container enclosing an insulating liquid (A) and an electrically susceptible liquid (B), the insulating liquid (A) and the electrically susceptible liquid (B) being immiscible and being in contact with each other via an interface (14), at least one of the liquids (A; B) being at least partially placed in a light path through the container. The electronic device further comprises first signal generating means (34) for generating a control signal indicative of a difference between the actual position of the interface (14) and a desired position; second signal generating means (50) for generating a further control signal for adapting the position of the interface (14) in response to the control signal; and control means (40) for prohibiting the second signal generating means (50) to update the further control signal during a positional change of the interface.

Abstract: A method for generating a series of images at different zoom angles is disclosed. The method comprises providing an optical device (1) having a liquid-based zoom lens (10) and image recording means (20), recording a first image of an object at a first zoom angle responsive to a user input; and automatically recording a second image of the object at a second zoom angle after recording the first image. The switching speed of a liquid-based zoom lens (10), such as a zoom lens based on electrowetting principles is utilized to automatically generate additional images at different zoom angles, which can be advantageously combined with the image taken by the user of the optical device (1).

Abstract: A controllable optical lens system, comprises a chamber housing first and second fluids, the interface between the fluids defining a lens surface. An electrode arrangement controls the shape of the lens surface and has first and second electrodes. A parameter is determined by the system dependent on the electrical resistance through at least one of the lens fluids between the first and second electrodes. Thus, the series resistance through a lens fluid is used as a measure of meniscus position.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an optical device comprising a container enclosing an insulating liquid (A) and an electrically susceptible liquid (B), the insulating liquid (A) and the electrically susceptible liquid (B) being immiscible and being in contact with each other via an interface (14), at least one of the liquids (A; B) being at least partially placed in a light path through the container. The optical device further comprises heating means (2, 12, 20) that preferably are responsive to a temperature sensor (30) for heating the insulating liquid (A) and the electrically susceptible liquid (B). Consequently, an optical device is obtained in which the influence of the temperature dependence of the physical properties of the insulating liquid (A) and the electrically susceptible liquid (B) on the behavior of the optical device is reduced, thus yielding an optical device with improved optical characteristics at low temperatures.