Xiaomi is one of the manufacturers working on under-screen camera technology. It appears the company is even considering implementing a rotating under-screen camera, according to a patent granted last week by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
Xiaomi smartphone with rotating under-screen cameraIn February 2020, Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software filed a patent with WIPO for a 'Terminal device'. The 32-page documentation was published on April 29, 2021 and details how the company plans to integrate an internally rotating camera into a smartphone.
The patented Xiaomi smartphone features an under-display selfie camera . Xiaomi has this technology been frequently demonstrated and claims to be the third of the arriving generation. The first Xiaomi phone with an under-screen camera is expected to be released later this year. However, the patent goes one step further, because the camera placed under the screen can rotate.
A so-called flip camera module is placed at the back of the screen, with at least one camera lens. By default, the camera is directed to the rear and is part of a larger camera system that consists of several lenses. Looking at the image above, only the top lens of the triple camera is rotatable (shown in orange). The other two lenses remain pointed to the rear at all times.
By means of a magnetic or motorized drive module and a processor it is possible to run the camera in the housing. Based on the extensive documentation, the preference seems to be for a magnetic module, which is cheaper to implement and also more durable (a motor can break, a magnet always works). In that case, a magnetic component will also be attached to the camera lens.
When the selfie camera is activated, the camera will be rotated internally, after which the display part around the camera module will be disabled in order to let in sufficient ambient light. In practice, you will hardly notice this, because this display part is very small - in the image above, this is the small blue square that is drawn around the camera lens. The remaining and largest display part can be used as a viewfinder to provide a preview of the image to be recorded.
Finally, there is talk of a laser autofocus system that is able to focus quickly and accurately - even in poor lighting conditions. Xiaomi has already used such an AF system before, for example the Mi 9 . Regarding the type of screen, different types of displays can be used, including an LCD (Liquid Crystal display), an OLED (Organic light emitting diode) or a CRT display (Cathode Ray tube), as stated in the extensive documentation.
It is remarkable that Xiaomi also shows a digital photo of the camera module under development in the patent images. Judging from the images, it is certainly not inconceivable that the company already has a prototype. The photo is of low resolution, so we have not included it in the publication. If you want to take a look yourself, click on the source file at the bottom of this publication.
Advantages of an internal flip cameraNow the question remains; what are the benefits of this technology? Because the camera system is rotated in the housing, it cannot come into contact with dust and dirt from the outside. This is a big advantage over pop-up cameras as we know them today.
By using a rotating camera, savings can also be made on the number of cameras. Finally, there is no need to install a separate front camera. Optionally, two cameras could also be included in the rotating system. However, Xiaomi has relatively few smartphones equipped with a double selfie camera, and this will also demand even more space in the housing, making this less likely.
Of course, all kinds of photo and video functions can also be linked to it, such as a dual recording mode where you can record a video simultaneously with both the front and rear cameras.
Whether and when Xiaomi intends to integrate such technology in future smartphone models remains unknown for the time being. The Mi Mix 4 may be the first Xiaomi smartphone where the selfie camera is placed under the screen. According to the rumors, Xiaomi will also equip its next foldable smartphone with an under-screen selfie camera. That device is still expected this year, although details about the further design are still scarce.
Xiaomi is certainly not the only manufacturer that bets on this new camera technology. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 , which is expected this summer, will also reportedly have such a type of camera system. Other manufacturers such as Oppo, Vivo and Huawei will also reportedly launch their first smartphone with a camera under the screen this year. ZTE has already released the Axon 20 5G , the world's first phone with an under-screen camera. A new model is also expected from ZTE this year.
However, the technology that Xiaomi has captured goes one step further, because this camera is also rotatable. Time will tell whether the company sees an opportunity to actually apply this new technology in an end product. Xiaomi has equipped several models with a pop-up camera in the past. The internal flip camera seems to be a logical development in that respect.
View the documentation of the
Xiaomi smartphone under-screen flip camera module here.
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