Patents by Inventor Marko Eromäki

Marko Eromäki 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).

  • Publication number: 20230080199
    Abstract: The imaging apparatus comprises a retractable structure with active and inactive positions. An outermost lens group and a lens group actuator are movable along an optical axis. In the inactive position the lens group and the lens group actuator reside close to an image sensor. The lens group actuator is positioned to the same level as the image sensor. In the active position the outermost lens group and the lens group actuator are further from the image sensor along the optical axis. The retractable structure may protrude from the device, covering the imaging apparatus. In one example the structure is reversed, the image sensor protrudes from the device while the outermost lens group is fixed to the device body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Marko EROMÄKI, Mikko JUHOLA, Eero SALMELIN
  • Patent number: 11536930
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus comprises two actuators, such as an autofocus actuator and optical image stabilizer. The actuators are nested, wherein the outer actuator is suspended from the device body and the inner actuator is suspended from the outer actuator. A suspension element may be a flexure bearing, allowing a flat actuator design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Microsoft Licensing Technology, LLC.
    Inventor: Marko Eromäki
  • Patent number: 11523034
    Abstract: The imaging apparatus comprises a retractable structure with active and inactive positions. An outermost lens group and a lens group actuator are movable along an optical axis. In the inactive position the lens group and the lens group actuator reside close to an image sensor. The lens group actuator is positioned to the same level as the image sensor. In the active position the outermost lens group and the lens group actuator are further from the image sensor along the optical axis. The retractable structure may protrude from the device, covering the imaging apparatus. In one example the structure is reversed, the image sensor protrudes from the device while the outermost lens group is fixed to the device body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Marko Eromäki, Mikko Juhola, Eero Salmelin
  • Patent number: 11079606
    Abstract: The lens arrangement has at least two lenses, wherein a first lens may be used for autofocus and optical image stabilization. The first lens is tilted to compensate for the shaking movement of the hand-held device and to stabilize the image to be captured on the image plane. The tilt action may occur in two degrees of freedom, wherein an actuator causes the first lens to tilt around a pivot. A second lens is a field flattener lens that compensates for the error caused by the difference between the image plane and the focus plane. The field flattener lens causes the focal plane of the first lens to lie in the image plane when the first lens is in a tilted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Mikko Juhola, Marko Eromäki
  • Publication number: 20200089019
    Abstract: The lens arrangement has at least two lenses, wherein a first lens may be used for autofocus and optical image stabilization. The first lens is tilted to compensate for the shaking movement of the hand-held device and to stabilize the image to be captured on the image plane. The tilt action may occur in two degrees of freedom, wherein an actuator causes the first lens to tilt around a pivot. A second lens is a field flattener lens that compensates for the error caused by the difference between the image plane and the focus plane. The field flattener lens causes the focal plane of the first lens to lie in the image plane when the first lens is in a tilted position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Mikko JUHOLA, Marko EROMÄKI
  • Patent number: 10469721
    Abstract: A multi-part electronic device has a mode with at least two overlapped device parts comprising a first camera part mounted on a first device part and a second camera part mounted on a second device part. At least one of the first and second camera parts is resiliently mounted such that contact between the first and second camera parts when the first device part and the second device part are overlapped with each other aligns the first camera part and the second camera part within a selected angular deviation between the camera parts' respective optical axes. A camera part having a body and a flexible mount and a method of reducing tilt error are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Marko Eromäki, Urho Konttori, Eero Tuulos
  • Patent number: 10412281
    Abstract: A device comprising at least two body sections is disclosed. The first body section comprises a movable imaging unit and a magnet rigidly fixed to the imaging unit, and the second body section comprising an optical unit with a magnet rigidly fixed to the optical unit. The body sections are in a movable connection with each other, and the device is operable in at least two modes. In the first mode, the imaging unit and the optical unit are fixed in a set relative position due to magnetic interaction between the magnets. In the second mode, the imaging unit is positioned away from the optical unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Urho Konttori, Marko Eromäki, Eero Tuulos
  • Patent number: 10353218
    Abstract: The lens arrangement has at least two lenses, wherein a first lens may be used for autofocus and optical image stabilization. The first lens is tilted to compensate for the shaking movement of the hand-held device and to stabilize the image to be captured on the image plane. The tilt action may occur in two degrees of freedom, wherein an actuator causes the first lens to tilt around a pivot. A second lens is a field flattener lens that compensates for the error caused by the difference between the image plane and the focus plane. The field flattener lens causes the focal plane of the first lens to lie in the image plane when the first lens is in a tilted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Mikko Juhola, Marko Eromäki
  • Patent number: 10317779
    Abstract: The imaging apparatus comprises a retractable structure with active and inactive positions. In the inactive position the lens group resides in proximity to an image sensor, and in the active position the lens group resides at a predetermined distance from the image sensor. The lens group is moved between active and inactive positions by at least one actuator. The imaging apparatus also includes a field flattening lens with a concave shape on the side opposite to the image sensor and facing the moving lens group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Mikko Juhola, Marko Eromäki, Eero Salmelin
  • Patent number: 10257433
    Abstract: The imaging system has two lenses coupled together, wherein both lenses face different sides of the device body. Each lens has a separate image sensor; for example, the first lens is for the front side camera and the second lens is for the back side camera. A single actuator moves both lenses simultaneously. Depending on the imaging direction, either the front side image sensor or the back side image sensor is activated and an image is received through the corresponding lens system. The actuator generates autofocus or image stabilization functions for both cameras.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: Marko Eromäki
  • Publication number: 20190082086
    Abstract: A multi-part electronic device has a mode with at least two overlapped device parts comprising a first camera part mounted on a first device part and a second camera part mounted on a second device part. At least one of the first and second camera parts is resiliently mounted such that contact between the first and second camera parts when the first device part and the second device part are overlapped with each other aligns the first camera part and the second camera part within a selected angular deviation between the camera parts' respective optical axes. A camera part having a body and a flexible mount and a method of reducing tilt error are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Marko Eromäki, Urho Konttori, Eero Tuulos
  • Patent number: 10142526
    Abstract: A multi-part electronic device has a mode with at least two overlapped device parts comprising a first camera part mounted on a first device part and a second camera part mounted on a second device part. At least one of the first and second camera parts is resiliently mounted such that contact between the first and second camera parts when the first device part and the second device part are overlapped with each other aligns the first camera part and the second camera part within a selected angular deviation between the camera parts' respective optical axes. A camera part having a body and a flexible mount and a method of reducing tilt error are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Marko Eromäki, Urho Konttori, Eero Tuulos
  • Patent number: 10082640
    Abstract: An electromagnetic actuator comprises a dual stage action, wherein the actuator comprises an electromagnetic element between two ferromagnetic elements. An electric current driven through the electromagnetic element causes a magnetic field of the electromagnetic element to interact with the magnetic fields of the two ferromagnetic elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: Marko Eromäki
  • Patent number: 9986144
    Abstract: A portable device comprises a first portion and a second portion, the first portion having a first front surface and a first back surface. The first portion comprises an image sensor and a first imaging optical arrangement lying in imaging connection with the image sensor and defining a first field of view with a wide angle of view. The second portion comprises a second imaging optical arrangement. The first and the second portions are movably coupled to allow adjustment of the device to a closed position with the second portion lying against the first back surface, with the second imaging optical arrangement aligned with the first imaging optical arrangement, whereby the first and the second imaging optical arrangements define a second field of view, and to open positions with the second portion lying outside the first field of view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Eero Tuulos, Urho Konttori, Mikko Juhola, Marko Eromäki, Eero Salmelin
  • Publication number: 20180052385
    Abstract: The imaging apparatus comprises a retractable structure with active and inactive positions. In the inactive position the lens group resides in proximity to an image sensor, and in the active position the lens group resides at a predetermined distance from the image sensor. The lens group is moved between active and inactive positions by at least one actuator. The imaging apparatus also includes a field flattening lens with a concave shape on the side opposite to the image sensor and facing the moving lens group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Inventors: Mikko Juhola, Marko Eromäki, Eero Salmelin
  • Publication number: 20180031861
    Abstract: The lens arrangement has at least two lenses, wherein a first lens may be used for autofocus and optical image stabilization. The first lens is tilted to compensate for the shaking movement of the hand-held device and to stabilize the image to be captured on the image plane. The tilt action may occur in two degrees of freedom, wherein an actuator causes the first lens to tilt around a pivot. A second lens is a field flattener lens that compensates for the error caused by the difference between the image plane and the focus plane. The field flattener lens causes the focal plane of the first lens to lie in the image plane when the first lens is in a tilted position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Inventors: Mikko JUHOLA, Marko EROMÄKI
  • Publication number: 20180035024
    Abstract: A multi-part electronic device has a mode with at least two overlapped device parts comprising a first camera part mounted on a first device part and a second camera part mounted on a second device part. At least one of the first and second camera parts is resiliently mounted such that contact between the first and second camera parts when the first device part and the second device part are overlapped with each other aligns the first camera part and the second camera part within a selected angular deviation between the camera parts' respective optical axes. A camera part having a body and a flexible mount and a method of reducing tilt error are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Applicant: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Marko Eromäki, Urho Konttori, Eero Tuulos
  • Patent number: 9871954
    Abstract: A device comprising at least two body sections is disclosed. The first body section comprises a first camera element having an optical axis, and the second body section comprises a second camera element and a mechanical flap adapted to expose and conceal the second camera element. The first body section is in a movable connection with the second body section, and the device is operable in at least two modes. In the first mode, the first and the second body sections are brought together, and the mechanical flap is adapted to expose the second camera element. In the second mode, the first and the second body sections are positioned such that the first and the second camera elements are positioned away from each other, and the mechanical flap is adapted to conceal the second camera element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventor: Marko Eromäki
  • Publication number: 20170353633
    Abstract: A device comprising at least two body sections is disclosed. The first body section comprises a first camera element having an optical axis, and the second body section comprises a second camera element and a mechanical flap adapted to expose and conceal the second camera element. The first body section is in a movable connection with the second body section, and the device is operable in at least two modes. In the first mode, the first and the second body sections are brought together, and the mechanical flap is adapted to expose the second camera element. In the second mode, the first and the second body sections are positioned such that the first and the second camera elements are positioned away from each other, and the mechanical flap is adapted to conceal the second camera element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventor: Marko Eromäki
  • Publication number: 20170353639
    Abstract: A device comprising at least two body sections is disclosed. The first body section comprises a movable imaging unit and a magnet rigidly fixed to the imaging unit, and the second body section comprising an optical unit with a magnet rigidly fixed to the optical unit. The body sections are in a movable connection with each other, and the device is operable in at least two modes. In the first mode, the imaging unit and the optical unit are fixed in a set relative position due to magnetic interaction between the magnets. In the second mode, the imaging unit is positioned away from the optical unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Urho Konttori, Marko Eromäki, Eero Tuulos