# US 12,114,068 B2 · Thin multi-aperture imaging system with auto-focus and methods for using same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,114,068 B2 - Document ID: US12114068B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/637,487 - Filed: 2024-04-17 - Published: 2024-08-08 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2013-08-01 - Assignees: Corephotonics Ltd. - Applicants: Corephotonics Ltd. - Inventors: Gal Shabtay; Noy Cohen; Nadav Geva; Oded Gigushinski; Ephraim Goldenberg - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12114068B2 ## CPC - G03B 19/22: Double cameras - H04N 23/67: Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals - 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 27/646: {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)} - G03B 30/00: Camera modules comprising integrated lens units and imaging units, specially adapted for being embedded in other devices, e.g. mobile phones or vehicles - H04N 5/2628: {Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation} - H04N 5/33: Transforming infrared radiation (cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20) - H04N 9/64: Circuits for processing colour signals (H04N9/77 takes precedence; camera processing pipelines for processing colour signals H04N23/84) - H04N 23/13: with multiple sensors - H04N 23/20: for generating image signals from infrared radiation only - 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 23/84: for processing colour signals - H04N 23/951: by using two or more images to influence resolution, frame rate or aspect ratio - H04N 25/133: including elements passing panchromatic light, e.g. filters passing white light - H04N 25/134: {based on three different wavelength filter elements} - G03B 2205/0069: using electromagnetic actuators, e.g. voice coils - H04N 23/843: {Demosaicing, e.g. interpolating colour pixel values} - 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) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract Dual-aperture digital cameras with auto-focus (AF) and related methods for obtaining a focused and, optionally optically stabilized color image of an object or scene. A dual-aperture camera includes a first sub-camera having a first optics bloc and a color image sensor for providing a color image, a second sub-camera having a second optics bloc and a clear image sensor for providing a luminance image, the first and second sub-cameras having substantially the same field of view, an AF mechanism coupled mechanically at least to the first optics bloc, and a camera controller coupled to the AF mechanism and to the two image sensors and configured to control the AF mechanism, to calculate a scaling difference and a sharpness difference between the color and luminance images, the scaling and sharpness differences being due to the AF mechanism, and to process the color and luminance images into a fused color image using the calculated differences. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A multi-aperture imaging system, comprising: a first camera operative to provide a first image, the first camera comprising a first sensor with a first number of pixels and a first type of filter array including a red green blue (RGB) or white filter on each of the first number of pixels, wherein the first type of filter array is a non-standard color filter array that includes repetitions of a 3×3 to 6×6 micro-cell; a second camera operative to provide a second image, the second camera comprising a second sensor with a second number of pixels and a second type of filter array different from the first type of filter array; and a camera controller coupled to the first image sensor and to the second image sensor and configured to rectify the first image and/or the second image by correcting for x-y translations of respective optical centers of the first image and the second image. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The multi-aperture imaging system of claim 1, wherein the rectification of the first image and of the second image depends on calibration data. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The multi-aperture imaging system of claim 1, further comprising a one-time programmable memory or an EEPROM, wherein the calibration data is saved in the one-time programmable memory or in the EEPROM. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The multi-aperture imaging system of claim 1, wherein the camera controller is further configured to estimate a scale factor between the first image and the second image and to use the scale factor to process the first image and/or the second image. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The multi-aperture imaging system of claim 1, wherein the first camera is an auto-focus camera. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The multi-aperture imaging system of claim 1, wherein the first camera is operative to provide a color image of the object or scene and wherein the second camera is operative to provide a luminance image of the object or scene. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The multi-aperture imaging system of claim 1, wherein the first camera and the second camera have substantially the same field of view. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The multi-aperture imaging system of claim 1, wherein the first number of pixels is different from the second number of pixels. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The multi-aperture imaging system of claim 1, wherein the multi-aperture imaging system is included in a mobile device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The multi-aperture imaging system of claim 9, wherein the mobile device is a cell-phone. ### Claim 11 A method, comprising: using a first camera to provide a first image, the first camera comprising a first sensor with a first number of pixels and a first type of filter array including a red green blue (RGB) or white filter on each of the first number of pixels, wherein the first type of filter array is a non-standard color filter array that includes repetitions of a 3×3 to 6×6 micro-cell; using a second camera to provide a second image, the second camera comprising a second sensor with a second number of pixels and a second type of filter array different from the first type of filter array; and configuring a camera controller coupled to the first image sensor and to the second image sensor to rectify the first image and the second image by correcting for x-y translations of respective optical centers of the first image and of the second image. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the rectification of the first image and the second image depends on calibration data. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising saving the calibration data in a one-time programmable memory or an EEPROM. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising configuring the camera controller to estimate a scale factor between the first image and the second image and to use the scale factor to process the first image or the second image, or both the first image and the second image. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the first camera is an auto-focus camera. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the first camera is operative to provide a color image of the object or scene and wherein the second camera is operative to provide a luminance image of the object or scene. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the first camera and the second camera have substantially the same field of view. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the first number of pixels is different from the second number of pixels. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the method is performed by a mobile device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the mobile device is a cell-phone.