Liquid/electrowetting lens

Summary of IP offering

Liquid/electrowetting lens technology concerns lenses based on two immicsible liquids forming a miniscus between them of which the shape can be controlled by electrical driving. The technology enables manufacture of small form factor, high optical quality, fast, low power lenses for use in all applications requiring free focus, optical image stabilisation (OIS) and/or zoom. The IP covers multiple aspects of the technology such as manufacture, design and use such as (free) focus or zoom and includes basic rights for a cost effective method for large scale manufacture of lenses and the OIS function, which with the entry of >14 Mega pixel sensors in mobile phone cameras has become an indispensible function for such applications. The IP listed below mentions US rights. However many are part of larger patent families having counterparts in multiple other jursidictions such as Europe, Japan and China.

Invention history

Liquid/electrowetting lens technology underlying the offered IP was developed at Philips Research laboroatories between 2000 and 2010 by a multidisciplinary team including important contributers to the field such as Stein Kuijper. The technology was developed for several application areas that Philips was active in at that time including optical recording, cameras and mobile phones. Although successful demos have been made and shown in the past, Philips left these businesses before any commercialisation occurred. Since the technology has profound benefits over current technologies (see above), the IP is currently available for third parties through licencing or sale.