# US 2020/0404244 A1 · Methods and Apparatus for Capturing Images of an Environment

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- Number: US 2020/0404244 A1
- Document ID: US20200404244A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/917,377
- Filed: 2020-06-30
- Published: 2020-12-24
- Earliest claimed: 2016-08-17
- Assignees: Nevermind Capital LLC
- Applicants: Nevermind Capital LLC
- Inventors: David Cole; Alan McKay Moss; Michael P. Straub
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200404244A1

## CPC

- H04N 13/232: using fly-eye lenses, e.g. arrangements of circular lenses
- G02B 13/06: Panoramic objectives; So-called "sky lenses" {including panoramic objectives having reflecting surfaces}
- G02B 30/34: Stereoscopes providing a stereoscopic pair of separated images corresponding to parallactically displaced views of the same object, e.g. three-dimensional [3D] slide viewers
- H04N 13/239: using two two-dimensional [2D] image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance (H04N13/243 takes precedence)
- H04N 13/243: using three or more two-dimensional [2D] image sensors
- H04N 13/25: using two or more image sensors with different characteristics other than in their location or field of view, e.g. having different resolutions or colour pickup characteristics; using image signals from one sensor to control the characteristics of another sensor
- H04N 13/296: Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
- H04N 23/45: for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
- H04N 23/55: Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
- H04N 23/698: for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
- H04N 23/90: Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS

## Abstract

Customer wide angle lenses and methods and apparatus for using such lenses in individual cameras as well as pairs of cameras intended for stereoscopic image capture are described. The lenses are used in combination with sensors to capture different portions of an environment at different resolutions. In some embodiments ground is capture at a lower resolution than sky which is captured at a lower resolution than a horizontal area of interest. Various asymmetries in lenses and/or lens and sensor placement are described which are particularly well suited for stereoscopic camera pairs where the proximity of one camera to the adjacent camera may interfere with the field of view of the cameras.

## Claims

### Claim 1

(canceled)

### Claim 2

An image capture system, comprising:
a camera comprising:
a sensor comprising pixels upon which light is directed; and
a fish eye lens that is asymmetric in at least one of a vertical direction and a horizontal direction, wherein the fish eye lens directs light from a first portion of an environment to a first set of pixels and light from a second portion of the environment to a second set of pixels, wherein the first set of pixels comprises a first number of pixels per unit area for the first portion of the environment, and wherein the second set of pixels comprises a second number of pixels per unit area for the second portion of the environment.

### Claim 2 (depends on 2)

The image capture system of claim 2, wherein the fish eye lens is asymmetric in the vertical direction and symmetric in the horizontal direction.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The image capture system of claim 2, wherein the fish eye lens is asymmetric in both the vertical and horizontal directions.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The image capture system of claim 2, wherein the first number of pixels per unit area for the first portion of the environment is less than the second number of pixels per unit area for the second portion of the environment.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The image capture system of claim 2, wherein the fish eye lens comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion of the fish eye lens is configured to direct light onto the first set of pixels, and wherein the second portion of the fish eye lens is configured to direct light onto the second set of pixels.

### Claim 6 (depends on 6)

The image capture system of claim 6, wherein the fish eye lens further comprises a third portion, wherein the third portion of the fish eye lens is configured to direct light from a third portion of the environment to a third set of pixels, and wherein the third set of pixels comprises a third number of pixels per unit area for the third portion of the environment.

### Claim 7 (depends on 7)

The image capture system of claim 7, wherein the third number of pixels per unit area for the third portion of the environment is less than the first number of pixels per unit area for the first portion of the environment and the second number of pixels per unit area for the second portion of the environment.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The image capture system of claim 2, further comprising:
a memory; and
a processor coupled to the camera and to the memory and configured to execute program instructions stored in the memory to cause the image capture system to:
cause the camera to capture an image of the environment; and
compensate for one or more distortions in the image caused by the fish eye lens.

### Claim 9 (depends on 9)

The image capture system of claim 9, wherein the one or more distortions comprise at least one of a luminance distortion and a chrominance distortion.

### Claim 10

An image capture system, comprising:
a first camera, comprising:
a first sensor comprising pixels upon which light is directed; and
a first fish eye lens that is asymmetric in at least one of a vertical direction and a horizontal direction, wherein the first fish eye lens directs light from a first portion of an environment to a first set of pixels and light from a second portion of the environment to a second set of pixels, wherein the first set of pixels comprises a first number of pixels per unit area for the first portion of the environment, and wherein the second set of pixels comprises a second number of pixels per unit area for the second portion of the environment; and
a second camera, comprising:
a second sensor comprising pixels upon which light is directed; and
a second fish eye lens that is asymmetric in at least one of the vertical direction and the horizontal direction, wherein the second fish eye lens directs light from the first portion of the environment to a third set of pixels and light from the second portion of the environment to a fourth set of pixels, wherein the third set of pixels comprises a third number of pixels per unit area for the first portion of the environment, and wherein the fourth set of pixels comprises a fourth number of pixels per unit area for the second portion of the environment.

### Claim 11 (depends on 11)

The image capture system of claim 11, wherein the first number of pixels per unit area for the first portion of the environment is less than the second number of pixels per unit area for the second portion of the environment, and wherein the third number of pixels per unit area for the first portion of the environment is less than the fourth number of pixels per unit area for the second portion of the environment.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The image capture system of claim 11, wherein the third number of pixels per unit area for the first portion of the environment is the same as the first number of pixels per unit area for the first portion of the environment, and wherein the fourth number of pixels per unit area for the second portion of the environment is the same as the second number of pixels per unit area for the second portion of the environment.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The image capture system of claim 11, wherein the first camera and the second camera comprise a stereoscopic camera pair, and wherein a center of the first fish eye lens is horizontally offset from a center of the first sensor such that an image captured by the first camera does not include a portion of the second fish eye lens.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The image capture system of claim 11, wherein the second fish eye lens is positioned adjacent the first fish eye lens, and wherein a portion of the second fish eye lens obscures a portion of a field of view of the first fish eye lens.

### Claim 15 (depends on 15)

The image capture system of claim 15, wherein the first sensor is offset with respect to a center of the first fish eye lens such that a portion of light passing through the first fish eye lens is not collected by the first sensor.

### Claim 16 (depends on 16)

The image capture system of claim 16, wherein the portion of light passing through the first fish eye lens that is not collected by the first sensor comprises light corresponding to the portion of the second fish eye lens that obscures the portion of the field of view of the first fish eye lens.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The image capture system of claim 16, wherein the second sensor is offset with respect to a center of the second fish eye lens such that a portion of light passing through the second fish eye lens is not collected by the second sensor.

### Claim 18 (depends on 18)

The image capture system of claim 18, wherein the offset of the second sensor is substantially equal and opposite the offset of the first sensor.