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US 8,390,729 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for providing a video image having multiple focal lengths
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsDavid Clifford Long, Thomas J. Fleischman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for providing a video image having multiple focal lengths includes a multi-focal lens system and a drive mechanism capable of moving the multi-focal lens system through a cyclic path. A plurality of optical images are formed as the multi-focal lens system moves through the cyclic path. An image pickup device is capable of converting each of the plurality of optical images into a corresponding image signal. An image processor is operative to preferably form a composite image signal wherein individual elements of the optical images are selected to provide preferred focus characteristics.
Claims16
A digital video camera providing a composite video image having multiple focal lengths comprising:
- a multi-focal lens system capable of observing a scene;
- a drive mechanism capable of moving the multi-focal lens system through a cyclic path, wherein the multi-focal lens system forms a plurality of optical images as the multi-focal lens system moves through the cyclic path, each optical image corresponding to one of the plurality of focal lengths;
- an image pickup device capable of converting each of the plurality of optical images into a corresponding image signal, each image signal including a plurality of pixels representative of the scene;
- an image processor operative to:
- divide each image signal into a plurality of image elements, each image element including at least one pixel;
- identify sets of corresponding image elements wherein each element corresponds to a given portion of the scene;
- for each set of corresponding image elements, select a preferred image element which provides preferred focus characteristics;
- save in computer memory the preferred image element providing the preferred focus characteristics;
- and
- combine the preferred image elements into a composite image signal,
- wherein the image processor is further operative to save in computer memory each optical image of the plurality of optical images, wherein the image processor provides and saves with each optical image an identifier corresponding to the focal length associated with each optical image wherein each optical image presents only a portion of a scene in focus at the focal length associated with each image;
- and
- pan and tilt movement tracking sensors providing pan and tilt information to the image processor to facilitate identification of the sets of corresponding image elements, said pan and tilt movement tracking sensors tracking changes in the scene due to movement of the multi-focal lens system or movement of the scene;
- wherein all of the multi-focal lens system, drive mechanism, image pickup device, image processor and pan and tilt movement tracking sensors are within the digital video camera.
11 more elements
A method for providing a composite video image having multiple focal lengths comprising steps of:
- providing a digital video camera having a multi-focal lens system for observing a scene, the multi-focal lens system having a plurality of focal lengths arranged along a cyclic path and a drive mechanism for moving the multi-focal lens system, wherein the multi-focal lens system forms a plurality of optical images as the multi-focal lens system is moved through the cyclic path, each optical image corresponding to one of the plurality of focal lengths;
- converting each of the plurality of optical images into a corresponding image signal, each image signal including a plurality of pixels representative of the scene;
- dividing each image signal into a plurality of image elements, each image element including at least one pixel;
- identifying sets of corresponding image elements wherein each corresponding image element corresponds to a same given portion of the scene, wherein identifying sets of corresponding image elements is performed at least in part using information provided by pan and tilt movement tracking sensors within the digital video camera, said pan and tilt movement tracking sensors tracking changes in the scene due to movement of the multi-focal lens system or movement of the scene;
- for each set of corresponding image elements, selecting a preferred image element which provides preferred focus characteristics;
- saving each of the preferred image elements in a computer memory;
- combining the preferred image elements into a composite image signal;
- and
- using an image processor to save in computer memory each optical image of the plurality of optical images, wherein the image processor providing and saving with each optical image an identifier corresponding to the focal length associated with each optical image wherein each optical image presenting only a portion of a scene in focus at the focal length associated with each image.
6 more elements
An imaging apparatus providing a stream of sequences of optical images, each sequence of optical images including a series of optical images, each optical image of the series having a unique focal length, the apparatus comprising:
- a multi-focal lens capable of observing a scene, the multi-focal lens having a plurality of focal lengths arranged along a rotary path;
- a rotary drive mechanism capable of rotating the multi-focal lens, wherein the multi-focal lens system forms the sequence of optical images as the multi-focal lens rotates through a 360 degree rotation, each optical image corresponding to one of a plurality of focal lengths;
- an image pickup device capable of converting each optical image of the sequence of optical images into a corresponding image signal, and
- an image processor operative to save in computer memory each optical image of the sequence of optical images, wherein the image processor provides and saves with each optical image an identifier corresponding to the focal length associated with each optical image wherein each optical image presents only a portion of a scene in focus at the focal length associated with each image.
1 more element
A method for providing a stream of sequences of optical images, each sequence of optical images including a series of optical images, each optical image of the series having a unique focal length, the method comprising steps of:
- providing an imaging apparatus having a multi-focal lens capable of observing a scene, the multi-focal lens having a plurality of focal lengths arranged along a rotary path, and a rotary drive mechanism capable of rotating the multi-focal lens, wherein the multi-focal lens system forms each series of optical images as the multi-focal lens rotates through a 360 degree rotation, each optical image corresponding to one of a plurality of focal lengths;
- converting each optical image of the sequence of optical images into a corresponding image signal;
- using an image processor to save in computer memory each optical image of the sequence of optical images, wherein the image processor provides and saves with each optical image an identifier corresponding to the focal length associated with each optical image wherein each optical image presents only a portion of a scene in focus at the focal length associated with each image.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.