# US 10,310,370 B2 · Image capturing device with high image sensing coverage rate and related image capturing method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,310,370 B2 - Document ID: US10310370B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/853,924 - Filed: 2017-12-25 - Published: 2018-07-05 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2016-12-29 - Assignees: Vivotek Inc. - Applicants: Vivotek Inc. - Inventors: Jen-Chih Wu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10310370B2 ## CPC - G03B 37/04: with cameras or projectors providing touching or overlapping fields of view - G02B 13/06: Panoramic objectives; So-called "sky lenses" {including panoramic objectives having reflecting surfaces} - G02B 13/18: with lenses having one or more non-spherical faces, e.g. for reducing geometrical aberration {(G02B13/002 takes precedence)} - H04N 23/45: for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images - H04N 23/55: Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof - H04N 23/698: for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture - G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D) - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An image capturing device with high image sensing coverage rate is applied by a related image capturing method. The image capturing device includes a base, an image sensing unit and an optical lens component. The image sensing unit is disposed on a lateral surface of the base, and has a sensing region. The optical lens component is overlapped with the image sensing unit, and has an imagery circle. A central optical axle of the imagery circle does not align with a central point of the sensing region; wherein the image capturing device captures an image via the optical lens component and the imaging sensing unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image capturing device with high image sensing coverage rate, the image capturing device comprising: a base; an image sensing unit disposed on a lateral surface of the base and having a sensing region; and an optical lens component overlapped with the image sensing unit and having an imagery circle, a central optical axle of the imagery circle not aligning with a central point of the sensing region; wherein the image capturing device captures an image via the optical lens component and the imaging sensing unit; wherein the image capturing device further comprises another image sensing unit and another optical lens component disposed on another lateral surface of the base in an overlapped manner, and a central optical axle of an imagery circle of the another optical lens component does not align with a central point of a sensing region of the another image sensing unit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image capturing device of claim 1, wherein a field of view (FOV) formed by the sensing region and the imagery circle overlapped with each other is greater than or equal to 180 degrees. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image capturing device of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the imagery circle is longer than a lateral side of the sensing region. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image capturing device of claim 1, wherein the base is disposed on a working surface via a fixing portion, and the central optical axle is located between the central point and the fixing portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The image capturing device of claim 4, wherein an edge of the imagery circle aligns with a lateral side of the sensing region distant from the fixing portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The image capturing device of claim 1, wherein the image capturing device further utilizes image stitching technique to stitch images captured by the image sensing units to acquire a panoramic image. ### Claim 7 An image capturing method with high image sensing coverage rate applied to an image capturing device, the image capturing device having a base, an image sensing unit and an optical lens component overlapped with each other, the image sensing unit and the optical lens component being disposed on the same lateral surface of the base, the image capturing method comprising: determining an orientation of a fixing portion of the base; shifting at least one of the image sensing unit and the optical lens component to move a central optical axle of an imagery circle of the optical lens component to a position located between a central point of a sensing region of the image sensing unit and the fixing portion, so as to make the central point not align with the central optical axle; and driving the image capturing device to acquire an image via the image sensing unit and the optical lens component. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The image capturing method of claim 7, wherein the image capturing device further has another image sensing unit and another optical lens component disposed on another lateral surface of the base in an overlapped manner, the image capturing method further comprises: utilizing image stitching technique to stitch images captured by the image sensing units to acquire a panoramic image. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The image capturing method of claim 7, wherein a diameter of the imagery circle is longer than a lateral side of the sensing region. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The image capturing method of claim 7, wherein the image capturing method further comprises: aligning an edge of the imagery circle with a lateral side of the sensing region distant from the fixing portion. ### Claim 11 An image capturing method with high image sensing coverage rate applied to an image capturing device, the image capturing device having a base, an image sensing unit and an optical lens component overlapped with each other, the image sensing unit and the optical lens component being disposed on the same lateral surface of the base, the image capturing method comprising: disposing the base on a working surface via a fixing portion of the base to make a central optical axle of an imagery circle of the optical lens component be located between a central point of a sensing region of the image sensing unit and the fixing portion; shifting at least one of the image sensing unit and the optical lens component, to make the central point not align with the central optical axle; and driving the image capturing device to acquire an image via the image sensing unit and the optical lens component. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The image capturing method of claim 11, wherein the image capturing method further comprises: determining an orientation of the fixing portion; and shifting at least one of the image sensing unit and the optical lens component to move the central optical axle to a position located between the central point and the fixing portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The image capturing method of claim 12, wherein the image capturing device further has another image sensing unit and another optical lens component disposed on another lateral surface of the base in an overlapped manner, the image capturing method further comprises: utilizing image stitching technique to stitch images captured by the image sensing units to acquire a panoramic image. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The image capturing method of claim 12, wherein a diameter of the imagery circle is longer than a lateral side of the sensing region. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The image capturing method of claim 11, wherein the image capturing method further comprises: aligning an edge of the imagery circle with a lateral side of the sensing region distant from the fixing portion.