Systems and methods for generating depth maps using a camera arrays incorporating monochrome and color cameras
AssigneeFotoNation Cayman Limited
InventorsKartik Venkataraman, Amandeep S. Jabbi, Robert H. Mullis
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Abstract
A camera array, an imaging device and/or a method for capturing image that employ a plurality of imagers fabricated on a substrate is provided. Each imager includes a plurality of pixels. The plurality of imagers include a first imager having a first imaging characteristics and a second imager having a second imaging characteristics. The images generated by the plurality of imagers are processed to obtain an enhanced image compared to images captured by the imagers. Each imager may be associated with an optical element fabricated using a wafer level optics (WLO) technology.
Claims20
A camera array, comprising:
- a plurality of cameras configured to capture images of a scene;
- an image processor configured to process at least a subset of images captured by the plurality of cameras;
- wherein the plurality of cameras comprises at least two cameras having different imaging characteristics including at least one monochrome camera and at least one color camera;
- wherein the image processor is configured to:
- measure parallax within the processed images by detecting parallax-induced changes that are consistent across the images taking into account the position of the cameras that captured the images;
- generate a depth map using the measured parallax;
- and
- synthesize an image using the images captured by the at least one monochrome camera and the at least one color camera using the depth map.
A camera array, comprising:
- a plurality of cameras formed on separate semiconductor substrates and configured to capture images of a scene;
- an image processor configured to process at least a subset of images captured by the plurality of cameras;
- wherein the plurality of cameras comprises at least two cameras having different imaging characteristics including at least one monochrome camera and at least one color camera, where:
- the at least one color camera includes a Bayer filter;
- and
- the at least one monochrome camera includes a sensor and a color filter, where sensor elements on the sensor are associated with the same color filter;
- wherein the cameras having different imaging characteristics are configured to operate with at least one difference in operating parameters;
- and
- wherein the image processor is configured to:
- measure parallax within the processed images by detecting parallax-induced changes that are consistent across the images taking into account the position of the cameras that captured the images;
- generate a depth map using the measured parallax;
- and
- synthesize an image using the images captured by the at least one monochrome camera and the at least one color camera using the depth map;
- and
- select at least one distance as an “in best focus” distance and blur the synthesized image based upon the depth map.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.