Product category:
Optoelectronic Sensors, Switches and Receivers
News Release from: Alps Electric (UK) | Subject: FP85 Series
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 07 February 2007
Camera modules aid handset
differentiation
Three-model series of 2Mpixel camera modules offers handset makers three different focusing schemes, all within the same compact package.
Alps Electric has developed the three-model FP85 Series of 2Mpixel camera modules for mobile phones The three modules have casings of identical size, and feature fixed focus, macro facility and autofocus, respectively
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 5 Dec 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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Camera phone use is becoming more widespread in Japan and throughout the world.
As mobile phones continue to evolve into information terminals, the camera functions on mobile phones are used not only to take conventional photographs, but also to shoot pictures of detailed text such as train timetables, as well as to read 2D barcodes.
At the same time, mobile phone cameras have increasingly high resolutions for more beautiful pictures, and some camera phones with pixel numbers on par with digital cameras have appeared on the market.
In light of this trend, Alps has developed three camera modules of the same compact casing size (8.5 x 8.5 x 6.1mm), offering options of fixed focus, macro facility and autofocus.
Previously, camera phone modules varied in size according to their functions.
To create the macro facility and autofocus functions, parts such as actuators that manipulate lenses in order to adjust focus had to be attached to fixed-focus camera modules, which served as the base.
This meant that the modules themselves had to be made larger.
By leveraging its high-precision processing and packaging technologies, Alps has enabled mobile phone manufacturers to choose between three focus functions all packaged in the same compact casing size.
This contributes to a more diverse selection of mobile phones for users.
Lenses are the major component of camera modules.
By employing its optical design technology, Alps has already developed high-resolution, aspheric plastic lenses that are thin and compact.
Alps is thereby meeting the needs for higher-resolution, more attractive picture taking.
Actuators are needed to manipulate lenses for focus functions.
Alps has created actuators that maximise the capacity of macro facility and autofocus functions.
Alps employs a voice coil system that uses magnetic simulation technology for macro facility, and a piezo system for autofocus.
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