Compact camera module with multilevel zoom and focus distance utilizing a switchable mirror
AssigneeDatalogic IP Tech S.R.L.
InventorMichele Suman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
One embodiment of a system and method for imaging a scene from a barcode scanner device may include creating a first and second optical paths of the scene, and then causing a switchable mirror disposed along the first and second optical paths to operate in a reflective state and a transparent state. The barcode scanner device may then capture images at different focal distances and with a different field-of-views when the switchable mirror is operating in the reflective state and the transparent state.
Claims20
An imaging system, comprising:
- a housing;
- a plurality of optical components disposed within said housing, and configured to create first and second optical paths of a scene;
- a plurality of image sensors;
- and
- a switchable mirror disposed along the first and second optical paths, the switchable mirror being in a reflective state to cause (i) a first image sensor to capture images at a first focal distance and a first field-of-view, and (ii) a second image sensor to capture images at a second focal distance and second field-of-view, the switchable mirror being in a transparent state to cause (iii) the first image sensor to capture images at a third focal distance and third field-of-view and (iv) the second image sensor to capture images at a fourth focal distance and forth field-of-view.
A method of imaging a scene, comprising:
- creating first and second optical paths of the scene;
- and
- causing a switchable mirror disposed along the first and second optical paths to be in a reflective state (i) to capture images at a first focal distance and with a first field-of-view, and (ii) to capture images at a second focal distance and with a second field-of-view;
- and
- switching the switchable mirror to be in a transparent state (iii) to capture images at a third focal distance and with a third field-of-view and (iv) to capture images at a fourth focal distance and with forth field-of-view.
A method of aligning an imaging system, said method comprising:
- establishing a first optical path inclusive of at least one first optical component and a first image sensor;
- establishing a second optical path inclusive of at least one second optical component and a second image sensor being perpendicularly aligned to the first image sensor, the first and second optical paths crossing perpendicularly prior to being incident the first and second image sensors;
- and
- positioning a center of a switchable mirror at the perpendicular crossing of the first and second optical paths such that (i) when the switchable mirror is in a reflective state, (a) a first optical signal traversing the first optical path is incident the first image sensor and (b) a second optical signal traversing the second optical path is incident the second image sensor, and (ii) when the switchable mirror is in a non-reflective state, (c) the first optical signal traversing the first optical path is incident the second image sensor and (d) the second optical signal traversing the second optical path is incident the first image sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.