Compact multi-aperture three-dimensional imaging system
AssigneeRicoh Company, Ltd.
InventorsSri Rama Prasanna Pavani, Jorge Moraleda, David G. Stork, Kathrin Berkner
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Abstract
A stereo-imaging system estimates depth based on two images; a multiview-imaging system estimates depth based on two or more images. A passive multiview-imaging system based on a sensor array is designed by considering different candidate partitions of the sensor array into imaging subsystems, especially three or more imaging subsystems.
Claims20
A method for designing a passive multiview-imaging system based on a sensor array and a processor, the sensor array divided into partitions, each partition forming a sensor area for a corresponding imaging subsystem, each imaging subsystem capturing an image of an object, the processor estimating depth in the object based on the captured images, the design method comprising a computer system performing the steps of:
- automatically generating a plurality of different candidate partitions, each candidate partition defining a division of the sensor array into two or more sensor areas, wherein at least some of the candidate partitions divide the sensor array into three or more sensor areas;
- estimating a quality metric for each candidate partition, comprising:
- accessing an optical design for the corresponding imaging subsystems for the candidate partition;
- modeling the image capture by the imaging subsystems and the depth estimation by the processor, the modeling taking into account the input specifications;
- and
- estimating the quality metric based on the modeled depth estimation;
- and
- ordering the candidate partitions according to their estimated quality metrics.
A passive polyview-imaging system for estimating depth in an object, the polyview-imaging system comprising:
- a sensor array, the sensor array divided into at least two sensor areas;
- a plurality of imaging subsystems, each imaging subsystem comprising one of the sensor areas and corresponding optics, each imaging subsystem capturing an image of an object;
- and
- a processor coupled to the sensor array, for estimating depth in the object based on the captured images;
- wherein the passive polyview-imaging system is produced by a process comprising a computer system performing the steps of:
- automatically generating a plurality of different candidate partitions, each candidate partition defining a division of the sensor array into two or more sensor areas;
- estimating a quality metric for each candidate partition, comprising:
- accessing an optical design for the corresponding imaging subsystems for the candidate partition;
- modeling the image capture by the imaging subsystems and the depth estimation by the processor;
- and
- estimating the quality metric based on the modeled depth estimation;
- and
- ordering the candidate partitions according to their estimated quality metrics.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.