Apple Invention Uses Spherically Curved Photosensor for Smaller, Better iPhone Camera

Apple’s Curved Photosensors – Smaller iPhone Cameras

Latest Apple patent discloses that the Cupertino Company would soon employ curved photosensors in creating smaller iPhone cameras which can capture improved photos. The design would aid Apple in its task of making the forthcoming smartphone much thinner.

The U.S, Patent and Trademark Office had recently published `Small form factor high-resolutions camera’ describing a cutting edge mobile camera module which utilises complex optics in delivering a much compact footprint with enhanced performance digital shooter suitable for placement in iPad and iPhone.

This exclusive arrangement offers a comparatively small ray fan spot size for all kinds of field heights at the image plane enabling a sharp low-distortion image. Apple has informed that employing curved array limits diffraction across image field, enabling smaller photosensor with equally smaller pixels. Moreover, with an axial length of two millimetres or less, the total camera package is extremely compact.

Sensor Refracts Light Through Trio Lenses

Apple has illuminated how the sensor tends to refract light through a trio of special lenses on a concave surface causing a sharp, low distortion image. The curved array limits diffraction, enables the use of smaller sensor with smaller pixels. AppleInsider has explained that to correct the diffraction as well as the visual aberration which tends to propagate within small cameras, the proposed lens system comprises of three lenses, two of which are convex or considerably convex.

A third meniscus lens or a lens with opposing convex as well as concave surfaces is placed between the first two lens components and the spherical photosensor. However the design seems to have its limitation like barrel distortion and Apple has described how it could use software in correcting the unwanted effects that tend to appear in various degrees of severity based on focal length, aperture as well as other system settings. It is not known whether Apple plans to apply its curved photosensor patent for its future iPhones since the company has relied for long on Sony’s stellar backside illuminated modules for its imaging requirements.

iPhone Thinner/Higher Battery Capacity

The patent had first been filed in 2013 and there seems to be no reason to think that Apple would be willing in replacing the Sony built imaging system already in use. Apple iPhone has been considered as having one of the best smartphone cameras all along. On the contrary, Apple has been looking for means of making the iPhone thinner with a higher battery capacity.

Credit for the patent filed goes to Xi Chen, David S. Gere and Matthew C. Waldon as its inventors. The technology could delay the unavoidable while Apple tends to cram more components in a shrinking device line-up. As in the case of every patent, there is no guarantee that this technology would show up in the near future devices though it is good to know that Apple tends to keep pushing the boundaries with its technology.

With rumours of a FaceTime camera set to make an appearance with the Apple Watch 2 this year, 2016 could probably be the year Apple may come up with one of the smallest and the highest quality cameras one has ever seen.