Multi-lens camera
AssigneeZetta Research and Development, LLC - ForC Series
InventorJonathan N. Betts-Lacroix
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A camera with multiple lenses and multiple sensors wherein each lens/sensor pair generates a sub-image of a final photograph or video. Different embodiments include: manufacturing all lenses as a single component; manufacturing all sensors as one piece of silicon; different lenses incorporate filters for different wavelengths, including IR and UV; non-circular lenses; different lenses are different focal lengths; different lenses focus at different distances; selection of sharpest sub-image; blurring of selected sub-images; different lens/sensor pairs have different exposures; selection of optimum exposure sub-images; identification of distinct objects based on distance; stereo imaging in more than one axis; and dynamic optical center-line calibration.
Claims20
A camera comprising a plurality of lens/sensor pairs;
- each lens configured to provide a sub-image on the corresponding sensor in the lens/sensor pair;
- the corresponding sensor configured to provide a corresponding sub-image data set;
- calibration data, for each lens/sensor pair, comprising the relative optical axis of each lens/sensor pair;
- software configured to combine sub-image data from a plurality of lens/sensor pairs, responsive to the calibration data, to form a final digital image, wherein the software is in non-transitory memory;
- storage means configured to store digital image data.
A method of taking a photograph using the camera wherein the camera comprises a plurality of lens/sensor pairs;
- and each lens is configured to provide a sub-image on the corresponding sensor in the lens/sensor pair;
- the corresponding sensor configured to provide a corresponding sub-image data set;
- wherein the steps comprise:
- calibrating, comprising storing the relative optical axis of each lens/sensor pair;
- photo-taking, wherein a user of the camera initiates a picture taking sequence within the camera;
- the photo-taking sequence comprising:
- generating an optical sub-image on the sensor in the each lens/pair using the lens in each lens/sensor pair;
- generating a digital sub-image data corresponding to the optical sub-image for each lens/sensor pair;
- correcting the digital sub-image data of said each sensor responsive to the calibration data stored for lens/sensor pair for that sensor;
- combining the corrected digital sub-image data into a final digital image;
- storing the final digital image.
A method of manufacturing a camera comprising a plurality of lens/sensor pairs wherein:
- each lens is configured to provide a sub-image on the corresponding sensor in the lens/sensor pair;
- the corresponding sensor configured to provide a corresponding sub-image data set;
- calibration data, for each lens/sensor pair, comprising the relative optical axis of each lens/sensor pair;
- software configured to combine sub-image data from a plurality of lens/sensor pairs, responsive to the calibration data, to form a final digital image;
- storage means configured to store digital image data;
- wherein at least two of the lenses in the at least two lens/sensor pairs are formed as single piece.
A method of taking a photograph using a camera comprising a plurality of lens/sensor pairs, wherein the camera comprises:
- each lens in the lens/sensor pairs configured to provide a sub-image on the corresponding sensor in the lens/sensor pair;
- the corresponding sensor configured to provide a corresponding sub-image data set;
- calibration data, for each lens/sensor pair, comprising the relative optical axis of each lens/sensor pair;
- software configured to combine sub-image data from a plurality of lens/sensor pairs, responsive to the calibration data, to form a final digital image;
- storage means configured to store digital image data;
- at least one IR lens/sensor pair configured to focus and use light in the infrared spectrum;
- wherein the steps of the method comprise:
- initiating a picture-taking sequence by the user of the camera;
- turning on an infrared illuminator;
- creating an exposure using the IR lens/sensor pair using the light generated by the infrared illuminator;
- wherein the IR lens/sensor pair generates an IR sub-image data set;
- while at the same time creating an exposure from a second lens/sensor pair using visible light;
- wherein the second lens/sensor pair generates a visible sub-image data set;
- turning off the infrared illuminator;
- correcting the IR sub-image data set responsive to the calibration data stored for IR lens/sensor pair and correcting the visible light sub-image data set responsive to the calibration data stored for the visible lens/sensor pair;
- combining the corrected IR sub-image data set with the corrected visible light sub-image data set into a final continuous color image;
- storing the final continuous color image.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.