CELLPHONE-CAMS TO GET BETTER IMAGING, ADDING TO PRIVACY FEARS
Voyeurs, spies and busy-bodies might take delight in likelihood of significant upgrade to resolution of digital video cameras in cellphones, PDAs and other tiny CE devices. Recently- published patent we've found describes means whereby lenses in such portables will be able to focus and zoom with far greater precision than previously possible. But development also is likely to heighten ruckus already raised by privacy and security advocates against so-called “smart-phones” that can record images stealthily, as we've reported (CED Aug 12 p2).
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Reaction against smart-phones ranges from outright ban at CE manufacturing facilities for fear of industrial espionage, to similar bans at health-spas and gyms for fear of Internet uploads that would violate members’ privacy. In U.K., phones or other devices with built-in, Internet-accessible cameras qualify as closed-circuit TV devices and are subject to strict laws and licensing -- with hefty penalties for violation of applicable laws.
Recently published patents reveal that U.K. company 1Limted, based in Cambridge, has found way to make thin sheet of piezoelectric material work as motor that moves whatever it touches in precision steps. Sheet can be used flat to make linear motor, or, rolled into cylinder to make mount for miniature camera lens. U.K. company is same that has developed diaphragm-technology that enables flat device, such as Pioneer’s PDSP-1 plasma TV, also to act as single point-source for generating multichannel surround-sound -- without need for multiple loudspeakers to deployed in room. Pioneer/1Limited innovation was announced at Jan. CES and most recently demonstrated at last week’s CEDIA conference in Indianapolis.
U.K.’s 1Limited declined to discuss new application for its technology. But, as described in patent (GB 2 381 376) we found, lenses now used in digital cameras and smart-phones suffer from being “fixed-focus.” They're set to compromise middle-distance focus, which blurs very-close and very-distant objects. Small cameras zoom, for telephoto effect, by digitally enlarging only selected-area of image. This technique unavoidably also enlarges pixels that make up overall picture, which result of spoiling image with overlaid mosaic effect.
Physically moving lens for optical focusing and zooming lets camera take clear telephoto shots, and focus more-tightly on close documents, but motors needed to twist and turn optical components in lens take up too much space for miniature camera, patent claimed.
As alternative, Cambridge lab would use roller with fine blades to cut pattern of parallel slits through 0.1-mm thick sheet of piezoelectric ceramic lead zirconate titanate, while it substance is in “green” or soft state. Cut sheet is then pressed against indented mold to push “land” areas between slits out from surface. This forms many hundreds of little “bridges” each standing on 2 mm legs at angle of 45 degrees to surface. Sheet, which looks like fine-tooth cheese grater, then is sintered to harden ceramic, and conductive material is printed or plated onto bridge legs to make electrodes. Tops of bridges are roughened to give them friction grip, 1Limited patent said.
When electric current is fed to electrodes, “legs” flex to move bridges. If sheet is pressed against movable object, roughened bridges work as friction micro-motors and move object in tiny stick-and-slip steps of about 0.25 micrometers. Electrical current is fed to bridges in waves at 65 kHz, so that all of little bridges push together to create millions of tiny rapid-drive steps.
If sheet is pressed hard against moveable object, or laid underneath it, object creeps in straight line. If sheet is rolled up to form tube-mount for lens, optical components can be twisted, turned and slid backwards and forwards under electronic control. As consequence, miniature camera can have automatic optical zoom and focus.
Although 1Limited hasn’t publicized project and declines to comment further, CEO-CTO Tony Hooley did confirm our report. “The material could be used in printer heads,” he said. “But our big push is to get it into cell-phone cameras, for the zoom mechanism,” he told us. Company wouldn’t comment further, such as to whether it’s shopping technology or otherwise negotiating patent with digital camera and cellphone makers.