Aperture coded camera for three dimensional imaging

A method, comprising:

• imaging a volume through at least three image apertures, which image apertures are arranged in a specified geometrical arrangement forming a geometric shape with 3 or more points such that object points in the volume are each imaged on at least one two dimensional image sensor as three or more corresponding image points, each corresponding image point corresponding to the object point and to one of the plurality of image apertures and the corresponding image points being arranged in a pattern geometrically similar to the geometric shape in which the image apertures are arranged;
• locating particles within the volume based upon the location of each of the image points corresponding to each object point associated with the particles on the at least one two dimensional image sensor by recognizing said geometrical arrangement based upon the location of each of the image points corresponding to each object point on the at least one two dimensional image sensor by finding the pattern geometrically similar to the geometric shape in which the image apertures are arranged;
• and
• using a geometric relationship between the pattern geometrically similar to the geometric shape in which the image apertures are arranged and the specified arrangement to determine information about the particles.

A method, comprising:

• arranging a plurality of image apertures into a specified and recognizable geometric arrangement forming a geometric shape with 3 or more points;
• imaging a volume through the image apertures such that object points in the volume are each imaged on at least one two dimensional image sensor as three or more corresponding image points, each image point corresponding to the object point and to one of the plurality of image apertures and the corresponding image points being arranged in a pattern geometrically similar to the recognizable geometric arrangement in which the image apertures are arranged;
• and
• processing images received through each of said image apertures based upon the location of each of the image points corresponding to each object point on the at least one two dimensional image sensor to recognize said recognizable geometric arrangement, and to establish sets from said recognizable arrangement as points to be recognized.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a plurality of image apertures, arranged in a specified arrangement forming a geometric shape with 3 or more points;
• a plurality of image sensors, each associated with an image aperture, and each obtaining an image from the associated image aperture such that object points are each imaged as three or more corresponding image points, each image point corresponding to the object point and to one of the plurality of image apertures and the corresponding image points being arranged in a pattern geometrically similar to the geometric shape in which the image apertures are arranged;
• and
• a processor, operating to determine information about a location of the object points using geometrical information based upon the location of each of the image points corresponding to each object point on the plurality of image sensors wherein said determining identifies the image points corresponding to an object point by finding the pattern geometrically similar to the geometric shape in which the image apertures are arranged.

An apparatus, comprising:

• at least three image apertures, which image apertures are arranged in a specified geometric arrangement forming a geometric shape with 3 or more points;
• at least one two dimensional image sensor, receiving images that have passed through said apertures such that object points in the volume are each imaged on the at least one two dimensional image sensor as three or more corresponding image points, each image point corresponding to the object point and to one of the plurality of image apertures and the corresponding image points being arranged in a pattern geometrically similar to the geometric shape in which the image apertures are arranged;
• and
• a processor, identifying particles within an imaged volume, by recognizing the pattern geometrically similar to the geometric shape in which the image apertures are arranged in a received image received on the at least one two dimensional image sensor, and using information about the specified arrangement and the relationship between the received image and the specified arrangement to determine information about the particles.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a plurality of image apertures arranged into a specified and recognizable geometrical arrangement forming a geometric shape with 3 or more points;
• a two dimensional image sensor, receiving images of a common volume through each of said plurality of image apertures such that object points in the volume are each imaged on the two dimensional image sensor as three or more corresponding image points, each image point corresponding to the object point and to one of the plurality of image apertures and the corresponding image points being arranged in a pattern geometrically similar to the geometric shape in which the image apertures are arranged;
• and
• a processor, that processes said images received through each of said image apertures to recognize a geometric shape that is geometrically similar to said recognizable arrangement based upon the location of each of the image points corresponding to each object point on the two dimensional image sensors, and to establish sets from said recognizable arrangement as points to be recognized.