# US 10,375,286 B2 · Imaging device and imaging method

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- Number: US 10,375,286 B2
- Document ID: US10375286B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/927,951
- Filed: 2018-03-21
- Published: 2018-11-01
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2017-04-26
- Assignees: Pegatron Corporation
- Applicants: Pegatron Corporation
- Inventors: Ying-Hsin Lin; Ming-Jer Yang; Kui-Hao Chang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10375286B2

## CPC

- G03B 13/36: Autofocus systems
- G02B 27/18: for optical projection, e.g. combination of mirror and condenser and objective {(photographic, cine and overhead projectors G03B21/00; photographic projection printing G03B27/32; photolithographic projectors G03F7/20; projection television H04N5/74; colour projection television H04N9/31)}
- G03B 13/32: Means for focusing
- G03B 19/22: Double cameras
- G06T 1/20: Processor architectures; Processor configuration, e.g. pipelining
- G06T 5/50: using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction
- H04N 5/262: Studio circuits, e.g. for mixing, switching-over, change of character of image, other special effects {; Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects}
- H04N 13/00: Stereoscopic video systems; Multi-view video systems; Details thereof
- H04N 23/10: for generating image signals from different wavelengths
- 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 23/667: Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
- H04N 23/672: {based on the phase difference signals}
- H04N 23/673: {based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method}
- H04N 23/71: Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation
- H04N 23/90: Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
- G02B 7/34: using different areas in a pupil plane
- G02B 7/36: using image sharpness techniques {, e.g. image processing techniques for generating autofocus signals (image data processing per se G06T; in cameras having a solid state image sensor H04N23/67)}
- G02B 27/10: Beam splitting or combining systems (polarising systems G02B27/28; mixing and splitting light signals using optical waveguides G02B6/28; {beam shaping, e.g. changing the cross-sectional area, by dividing or superposing multiple light beams G02B27/0905})
- G02B 27/646: {compensating for small deviations, e.g. due to vibration or shake (movement of one or more optical elements for control of motion blur in cameras, projectors or printers G03B2205/0007; image stabilisation in cameras peculiar to the presence or use of an electronic image sensor H04N23/68)}
- G06T 2207/10024: Color image
- 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
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

An imaging device and an imaging method are provided. An incident beam is separated into a first spectroscopic beam and a second spectroscopic beam by a spectroscopic unit and the first spectroscopic beam and the second spectroscopic beam are respectively incident on a first imaging module and a second imaging module. One of a phase detection autofocus (PDAF) mode and a contrast detection autofocus (CDAF) mode of the first imaging module is activated based on a brightness of an ambient light source. The first imaging module and the second imaging module are activated to shoot at a partially overlapping field of view (FOV) to obtain a first image and a second image. The first image and the second image are superimposed to obtain a composite image.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An imaging device, comprising:
a spectroscopic unit, receiving an incident beam and splitting the incident beam into a first spectroscopic beam and a second spectroscopic beam;
a first imaging module, receiving the first spectroscopic beam to form a first image, and switching between a phase detection autofocus mode and a contrast detection autofocus mode based on a brightness of an ambient light source;
a second imaging module, receiving the second spectroscopic beam to form a second image; and
a processor, coupled to the first imaging module and the second imaging module respectively, and controlling the first imaging module and the second imaging module to shoot with partially overlapping field of views to obtain the first image and the second image captured with the partially overlapping field of views from the first imaging module and the second imaging module, wherein the first image and the second image are superimposed by the processor to obtain a composite image.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The imaging device as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor comprises an image signal processor, and the image signal processor determines whether the brightness of the ambient light source is smaller than a preset value;
when the brightness of the ambient light source is determined to be smaller than the preset value, the processor drives the first imaging module to switch to the contrast detection autofocus mode; and
when the brightness of the ambient light source is determined to be not smaller than the preset value, the processor drives the first imaging module to switch to the phase detection autofocus mode.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The imaging device as recited in claim 1, wherein
the first imaging module comprises:
a first lens module, receiving the first spectroscopic beam; and
a first focus sensor, coupled to the processor, having the phase detection autofocus mode and the contrast detection autofocus mode, and receiving a first beam emitted from the first lens module to form the first image by the first focus sensor;
the second imaging module comprises:
a second lens module, receiving the second spectroscopic beam; and
a second focus sensor, coupled to the processor, and receiving a second beam emitted from the second lens module to form the second image by the second focus sensor; and
wherein, the field of view of the second lens module is smaller than the field of view of the first lens module.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The imaging device as recited in claim 3, wherein
the first imaging module further comprises:
a first driving circuit, coupled to the processor; and
a first actuator, coupled to the first driving circuit and the first lens module, wherein the processor controls the first actuator through the first driving circuit to adjust a position of the first lens module; and
the second imaging module further comprises:
a second driving circuit, coupled to the processor; and
a second actuator, coupled to the second driving circuit and the second lens module, wherein the processor controls the second actuator through the second driving circuit to adjust a position of the second lens module.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The imaging device as recited in claim 3, wherein the first imaging module further comprises:
an image signal processor, coupled to the first focus sensor, and determining whether a brightness of the first beam that enters into the first focus sensor as the ambient light source is smaller than a preset value;
wherein, when the brightness of the first beam entering into the first focus sensor is determined to be the smaller than the preset value, the image signal processor drives the first focus sensor to switch to the contrast detection autofocus mode; and
when the brightness of the first beam entering into the first focus sensor is determined to be not smaller than the preset value, the image signal processor drives the first focus sensor to switch to the phase detection autofocus mode.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The imaging device as recited in claim 4, wherein the first actuator is a voice coil motor.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The imaging device as recited in claim 3, wherein the first lens module comprises a wide-angle lens, and the second lens module comprise a telephoto lens.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The imaging device as recited in claim 1, further comprising:
an incident unit, gathering a plurality of beams from the ambient light source to output the incident beam.

### Claim 9

An imaging method, comprising:
using a spectroscopic unit to split an incident beam into a first spectroscopic beam and a second spectroscopic beam, wherein the first spectroscopic beam and the second spectroscopic beam are respectively incident into a first imaging module and a second imaging module;
activating one of a phase detection autofocus mode and a contrast detection autofocus mode of the first imaging module based on a brightness of an ambient light source;
driving the first imaging module and the second imaging module to shoot with partially overlapping field of views to obtain a first image and a second image captured with the partially overlapping field of views; and
superimposing the first image and the second image to obtain a composite image.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The imaging method as recited in claim 9, wherein steps of activating one of the phase detection autofocus mode and the contrast detection autofocus mode of the first imaging module based on the brightness of the ambient light source comprise:
driving the first imaging module to switch to the contrast detection autofocus mode when the brightness of the ambient light source is determined to be smaller than a preset value; and
driving the first imaging module to switch to the phase detection autofocus mode when the brightness of the ambient light source is determined to be not smaller than the preset value.