Xiaomi patents a smartphone with an internally rotating selfie camera
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Chinese smartphone company Xiaomi has applied for a patent for an internally rotating camera that can serve as both the front-facing under-screen camera and main rear camera.
The patent was applied for in February 2020 and published on the 29th of April 2021.
The camera could be rotated either motorized or magnetically, with magnetically being favoured, and the rotating camera could form part of a regular cluster at the rear, as seen in the accompanying drawing above.
In their detailed patent, Xiaomi also talks about a laser auto-focus system, and includes a sample picture, suggesting the company has a real device in mind.
The main benefit of the technology is saving the cost of having two internal cameras, and having the mechanism internally of course protects it from dust and damage. Presumably, the back of the rotating camera module would also form a better background for the UDC element than a reflective lens, resulting in a more unobtrusive semi-transparent screen.
Xiaomi is somewhat of a trial blazer, and their next generation of flagships are expected to feature under-screen cameras. The company was also one of the first to produce devices with pop-up camera, and time will tell if they will also be bringing this technology to market.
via LetsGoDigital
