Lensless camera controlled via mems array
AssigneeQUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
InventorsSauri Gudlavalleti, Manish Kothari
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lensless camera may include an array of MEMS-based light-modulating devices. A camera controller may control the MEMS-based light-modulating devices to transmit visible light through, or substantially prevent the transmission of visible light through, predetermined areas of the array. The array may be controlled in response to input from a user and/or in response to the location of a detected subject. The viewing direction of a lensless camera having such an array can be rapidly changed by changing the transmittance of different regions of the array.
Claims25
A lensless camera, comprising:
- a light sensor;
- an interface configured to receive a field of view indication;
- an array of microelectromechanical systems (“MEMS”) devices configured to block incoming visible light from reaching the light sensor when the MEMS devices are in a first position and to transmit incoming visible light to the light sensor when the MEMS devices are in a second position;
- and
- a control system configured to do the following:
- receive a field of view indication from the interface;
- determine a transmissive area in the array of MEMS devices corresponding with the field of view indication;
- control MEMS devices in the transmissive area to be in the second position;
- and
- drive other MEMS devices of the array to the first position.
A lensless camera, comprising:
- light-sensing means for sensing light;
- interface means configured to receive a field of view indication;
- array means for blocking incoming visible light from reaching the light-sensing means when the array means is in a first configuration and to transmit incoming visible light to the light-sensing means when the array means is in a second configuration;
- and
- control means for:
- receiving a field of view indication from the interface means;
- determining a transmissive area in the array means corresponding with the field of view indication;
- controlling MEMS devices in the transmissive area to be in the second configuration;
- and
- driving other MEMS devices of the array means to the first configuration.
A method, comprising:
- receiving a field of view indication for a lensless camera;
- determining a pinhole location for the lensless camera corresponding with the field of view indication;
- controlling an array of microelectromechanical systems (“MEMS”) devices to form a transmissive area in an array location corresponding to the pinhole location and to make the remaining MEMS devices of the array substantially non-transmissive in the visible spectrum;
- and
- capturing an image from light passing through the transmissive area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.