Camera with through-the-lens lighting
Assignee3DV Systems Ltd.
InventorGiora Yahav
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A camera is provided with through the lens lighting. An light source provides boresighted illumination by using a beamsplitter or mirror to illuminate a field of view which is congruent with the field of view of the image sensor of the camera. The light source can be an extended light source having a dimensions about equal to the image sensor. The surface of the image sensor, the light source or the beam splitter can be modulated such that light directly from the light source does not impinge the sensor.
Claims29
A camera with through-the-lens lighting, comprising:
- a modulated light source;
- a photosensitive surface;
- focusing optics, having an optical axis, that forms an image of a scene, within a field of view, on the photosensitive surface, wherein light from the light source is boresighted with the optical axis and directed toward the scene, illuminating substantially only the field of view of the camera;
- a modulator which modulates radiation striking the photosensitive surface or the sensitivity of the photosensitive surface, wherein the modulator does not modulate the light source;
- and
- a controller, controlling the modulator and the modulation of the light-source, to block a reaction of the photosensitive surface whenever the modulated source of light is on, while insuring that all the desired radiation reflected from the scene is collected.
A method of creating an image with through-the-lens lighting comprising:
- boresighting a beam of incoherent light with the optical axis of a camera, having a field of view;
- illuminating a scene with the beam of incoherent light, emerging from the camera along the optical axis, such that a region illuminated by the beam is substantially congruent with the field of view of the camera;
- and
- creating an image on a photosensitive surface of the camera using light from the boresighted light that is reflected from the scene that is collected by the camera.
A method of creating an image with through-the-lens lighting comprising:
- providing a modulated beam of light;
- boresighting the beam with an optical axis of a camera having a field of view;
- illuminating a scene with the beam, emerging from the camera, such that substantially only the field of view of the camera is illuminated;
- modulating the activation of a photosensitive surface of the camera in synchrony with the beam modulation, such that light is blocked from activating the photosensitive surface whenever the beam is on, while insuring that all the desired reflected radiation from the scene is collected on the photosensitive surface;
- and
- creating an image on the photosensitive surface using the collected light.
A method of creating an image with through-the-lens lighting comprising:
- providing a beam of light, emanating from an extended source, internal to a camera;
- boresighting the beam with an optical axis of the camera;
- and
- illuminating a scene with the beam, emerging from the camera, such that the beam illuminates a region substantially congrugent with the field of view of the camera;
- modulating the beam;
- modulating activation of a photosensitive surface of the camera in synchrony with the beam modulation, blocking light from activating the photosensitive surface whenever the beam is on, while insuring that all the desired reflected radiation from the scene is collected and;
- creating an image on the photosensitive surface of the camera using boresighted light that is reflected from the scene that is collected by the camera.
A method according to any of claims 28-30 or 35, wherein modulating activation of the photosensitive surface in synchrony with the beam comprises:
- estimating the amount of light reflected from different portions of the scene which reaches the camera from various parts of the scene;
- modulating the light source with a multiple-pulse function of square pulses having a duration of δ1 seconds each, δ2 seconds apart, wherein δ1 and δ2 are determined responsive to said estimate and during δ1, light is transmitted and during δ2, light is blocked;
- and
- modulating activation of the photosensitive surface with a multiple-pulse function of square pulses so that during δ1, the surface is not sensitive to light and during at least part of δ2, the surface is sensitive to light, so as to adjust the range of light reaching various portions of the photosensitive surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.