Imaging device with reflective optical element
AssigneeMicrosoft Technology Licensing, LLC
InventorAri Kimari
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Examples are disclosed that relate to an imaging device. One example provides an imaging device comprising a reflective optical element, a sensor system configured to receive light reflected by the reflective optical element, and a color filter arranged upstream of the reflective optical element, the color filter comprising two or more filter sections each having a different wavelength response. The reflective optical element and the sensor system form a fixed assembly, with the fixed assembly and the color filter being movable relative to one another such that light received at a portion of the sensor system via the reflective optical element is differently filtered based on a relative position between the color filter and the fixed assembly.
Claims20
An imaging device, comprising:
- a reflective optical element;
- a sensor system configured to receive light reflected by the reflective optical element;
- and
- a color filter arranged upstream of the reflective optical element, the color filter comprising two or more filter sections each arranged about a central portion of the color filter and having a different wavelength response;
- where the reflective optical element and the sensor system form a fixed assembly, the fixed assembly and the color filter being movable relative to one another such that light received at a portion of the sensor system via the reflective optical element is differently filtered based on a relative position between the color filter and the fixed assembly, and where such different filtering varies repeatedly at the portion of the sensor system as the two or more filter sections move relative to the fixed assembly, the sensor system receiving light filtered by the two or more filter sections at the relative position.
A method of forming a color image, comprising:
- receiving, at a portion of a sensor system, light reflected by a reflective optical element and filtered through a first filter section of a color filter having a plurality of filter sections arranged about a central portion of the color filter, each of the filter sections having a different wavelength response;
- varying a relative orientation between the reflective optical element and the color filter so that light received at the portion of the sensor system via reflection from the reflective optical element is filtered, successively, through one or more additional filter sections of the plurality of filter sections, the sensor system receiving light filtered by two or more of the plurality of filter sections at the relative orientation;
- and
- combining outputs of the sensor system associated with filtering via the first filter section and the one or more additional filter sections to form a color image.
An imaging device, comprising:
- a reflective optical element;
- a sensor system comprising three sensing elements, the sensor system configured to receive light reflected by the reflective optical element;
- and
- a rotary color filter arranged upstream of the reflective optical element, the rotary color filter comprising red, green, and blue filter sections arranged about a central portion of the rotary color filter and each having a different wavelength response;
- where the reflective optical element and the sensor system form a fixed assembly, the rotary color filter being rotatable relative to the fixed assembly such that light received at a portion of the sensor system via the reflective optical element is differently filtered based on a rotational orientation of the rotary color filter, and where such different filtering varies repeatedly at the portion of the sensor system as the blue filter sections move relative to the fixed assembly, the sensor system receiving light filtered by two or more of the blue filter sections at the rotational orientation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.