Methods and apparatus for implementing and/or using a camera device

摘要

Methods and apparatus for implementing a camera having a depth which is less than the maximum length of the outer lens of at least one optical chain of the camera are described. In some embodiments a light redirection device, e.g., a mirror, is used to allow a relatively long optical chain with a relatively large non-circular outer lens. In some embodiments the light redirection device has a depth, e.g., front of camera to back of camera dimension, which is less than the maximum length of the aperture of the outer lens in the aperture's direction of maximum extent. Multiple optical chains with non-circular outer lenses arranged in different directions may and in some embodiments are used to capture images with the captured images being combined to generate a composite image.

主权项

1. A camera device, the camera device comprising:
a camera housing including a front surface and a rear surface having a thickness D where D is a distance between said front surface and said rear surface; a first optical chain, in said camera housing, including a first light redirection device and having a first non-circular aperture, said first non-circular aperture having a length less than or equal to D in a first direction and a length larger than D along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and a second optical chain, in said camera housing, including a second light redirection device and having a second non-circular aperture, said second non-circular aperture having a length less than or equal to D in a third direction and a length larger than D along a fourth direction perpendicular to the third direction, said second and fourth directions being different.