# US 8,542,287 B2 · Dual sensor camera > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,542,287 B2 - Document ID: US8542287B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/727,973 - Filed: 2010-03-19 - Published: 2010-09-23 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2009-03-19 - Assignees: DigitalOptics Corporation - Applicants: John D. Griffith; Jisoo Lee - Inventors: John D. Griffith; Jisoo Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8542287B2 ## CPC - H04N 23/951: by using two or more images to influence resolution, frame rate or aspect ratio - G06T 5/50: using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction - H04N 5/2628: {Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation} - H04N 5/272: Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay - 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 23/54: Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils - H04N 23/60: Control of cameras or camera modules - H04N 23/69: Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming - G02B 27/0075: {with means for altering, e.g. increasing, the depth of field or depth of focus} - G06T 5/73: Deblurring; Sharpening - G06T 2207/20221: Image fusion; Image merging - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract A dual sensor camera that uses two aligned sensors each having a separate lens of different focal length but the same f-number. The wider FOV image from one sensor is combined with the narrower FOV image from the other sensor to form a combined image. Up-sampling of the wide FOV image and down-sampling of the narrow FOV image is performed. The longer focal length lens may have certain aberrations introduced so that Extended Depth of Field (EDoF) processing can be used to give the narrow FOV image approximately the same depth of field as the wide FOV image so that a noticeable difference in depth of field is not see in the combined image. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A camera, comprising: a first sensor that captures a first image; a first lens that directs light to the first sensor, the first lens having a first focal length and having an f-number; a second sensor that captures a second image; and a second lens that directs light to the second sensor, the second lens having a second focal length that is longer than the first focal length and having an f-number substantially equal to that of the first lens, the second lens also having been designed to work with extended depth of field (EDoF) processing by the introduction of specified aberrations into the image formed on the second sensor; and wherein the second image is subsequently subjected to EDoF processing to focus the second image; the combination of the first sensor and the first lens are substantially aligned with the combination of the second sensor and the second lens to allow each to be directed toward the same subject; the first and second images are combined together to form a single combined image with the second image forming a central portion of the single combined image and a peripheral portion of the first image forming a peripheral portion of the single combined image; the combining of the first and the second images includes up-sampling the first image and down-sampling the second image; and the first image is sharpened after the up-sampling. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A camera as defined in claim 1, wherein the first lens has been designed to work with EDoF processing by the introduction of specified aberrations into the image formed on the first sensor, and wherein the first image is subsequently subjected to EDoF processing to focus the first image. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A camera as defined in claim 1, wherein the up-sampling is performed with a scaling factor A and the down-sampling is performed with a scaling factor B. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A camera as defined in claim 3, wherein Z is the ratio of the FOV of the first sensor to the FOV of the second sensor, and Z=A×B. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A camera as defined in claim 4, wherein A is a value in the range between and including 1 and Z. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) A camera as defined in claim 3, wherein A is a value in the range between and including 1 and Z, where Z is the ratio of the FOV of the first sensor to the FOV of the second sensor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A camera as defined in claim 1, wherein the first image has a mask applied to it before it is combined with the second image, the mask blocking a central portion of the first image and allowing a peripheral portion to be used in forming the combined image. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A camera as defined in claim 1, wherein the second image has a mask applied to it before it is combined with the first image, the mask blocking a peripheral portion of the second image and allowing a central portion to be used in forming the combined image. ### Claim 9 A camera, comprising: a first sensor that captures a first image; a first lens that directs light to the first sensor, the first lens having a first focal length and having an f-number; a second sensor that captures a second image; and a second lens that directs light to the second sensor, the second lens having a second focal length that is longer than the first focal length and having an f-number substantially equal to that of the first lens, the second lens also having been designed to work with extended depth of field (EDoF) processing by the introduction of specified aberrations into the image formed on the second sensor; and wherein the second image is subsequently subjected to EDoF processing to focus the second image; the combination of the first sensor and the first lens are substantially aligned with the combination of the second sensor and the second lens to allow each to be directed toward the same subject; the first and second images are combined together to form a single combined image with the second image forming a central portion of the single combined image and a peripheral portion of the first image forming a peripheral portion of the single combined image; the combining of the first and the second images includes up-sampling the first image and down-sampling the second image; and the first image has a mask applied to it before it is combined with the second image, the mask blocking a central portion of the first image and allowing a peripheral portion to be used in forming the combined image. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A camera as defined in claim 9, wherein the first lens has been designed to work with EDoF processing by the introduction of specified aberrations into the image formed on the first sensor, and wherein the first image is subsequently subjected to EDoF processing to focus the first image. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) A camera as defined in claim 9, wherein the up-sampling is performed with a scaling factor A and the down-sampling is performed with a scaling factor B. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A camera as defined in claim 11, wherein Z is the ratio of the FOV of the first sensor to the FOV of the second sensor, and Z=A×B. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A camera as defined in claim 12, wherein A is a value in the range between and including 1 and Z. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) A camera as defined in claim 11, wherein A is a value in the range between and including 1 and Z, where Z is the ratio of the FOV of the first sensor to the FOV of the second sensor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) A camera as defined in claim 9, wherein the second image has a mask applied to it before it is combined with the first image, the mask blocking a peripheral portion of the second image and allowing a central portion to be used in forming the combined image. ### Claim 16 A camera, comprising: a first sensor that captures a first image; a first lens that directs light to the first sensor, the first lens having a first focal length and having an f-number; a second sensor that captures a second image; and a second lens that directs light to the second sensor, the second lens having a second focal length that is longer than the first focal length and having an f-number substantially equal to that of the first lens, the second lens also having been designed to work with extended depth of field (EDoF) processing by the introduction of specified aberrations into the image formed on the second sensor; and wherein the second image is subsequently subjected to EDoF processing to focus the second image; the combination of the first sensor and the first lens are substantially aligned with the combination of the second sensor and the second lens to allow each to be directed toward the same subject; the first and second images are combined together to form a single combined image with the second image forming a central portion of the single combined image and a peripheral portion of the first image forming a peripheral portion of the single combined image; the combining of the first and the second images includes up-sampling the first image and down-sampling the second image; and the second image has a mask applied to it before it is combined with the first image, the mask blocking a peripheral portion of the second image and allowing a central portion to be used in forming the combined image. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A camera as defined in claim 16, wherein the first lens has been designed to work with EDoF processing by the introduction of specified aberrations into the image formed on the first sensor, and wherein the first image is subsequently subjected to EDoF processing to focus the first image. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) A camera as defined in claim 16, wherein the up-sampling is performed with a scaling factor A and the down-sampling is performed with a scaling factor B. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A camera as defined in claim 18, wherein Z is the ratio of the FOV of the first sensor to the FOV of the second sensor, and Z=A×B. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) A camera as defined in claim 19, wherein A is a value in the range between and including 1 and Z. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) A camera as defined in claim 18, wherein A is a value in the range between and including 1 and Z, where Z is the ratio of the FOV of the first sensor to the FOV of the second sensor. ### Claim 22 A camera, comprising: a first sensor that captures a first image; a first lens that directs light to the first sensor, the first lens having a first focal length and having an f-number; a second sensor that captures a second image; and a second lens that directs light to the second sensor, the second lens having a second focal length that is longer than the first focal length and having an f-number substantially equal to that of the first lens, the second lens also having been designed to work with extended depth of field (EDoF) processing by the introduction of specified aberrations into the image formed on the second sensor; and wherein the second image is subsequently subjected to EDoF processing to focus the second image; the combination of the first sensor and the first lens are substantially aligned with the combination of the second sensor and the second lens to allow each to be directed toward the same subject; the first and second images are combined together to form a single combined image with the second image forming a central portion of the single combined image and a peripheral portion of the first image forming a peripheral portion of the single combined image; the combining of the first and the second images includes up-sampling the first image and down-sampling the second image; the up-sampling is performed with a scaling factor A and the down-sampling is performed with a scaling factor B; Z is the ratio of the FOV of the first sensor to the FOV of the second sensor; and Z=A×B. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) A camera as defined in claim 22, wherein the first lens has been designed to work with EDoF processing by the introduction of specified aberrations into the image formed on the first sensor, and wherein the first image is subsequently subjected to EDoF processing to focus the first image. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) A camera as defined in claim 22, wherein A is a value in the range between and including 1 and Z. ### Claim 25 A camera, comprising: a first sensor that captures a first image; a first lens that directs light to the first sensor, the first lens having a first focal length and having an f-number; a second sensor that captures a second image; and a second lens that directs light to the second sensor, the second lens having a second focal length that is longer than the first focal length and having an f-number substantially equal to that of the first lens, the second lens also having been designed to work with extended depth of field (EDoF) processing by the introduction of specified aberrations into the image formed on the second sensor; and wherein the second image is subsequently subjected to EDoF processing to focus the second image; the combination of the first sensor and the first lens are substantially aligned with the combination of the second sensor and the second lens to allow each to be directed toward the same subject; the first and second images are combined together to form a single combined image with the second image forming a central portion of the single combined image and a peripheral portion of the first image forming a peripheral portion of the single combined image; the combining of the first and the second images includes up-sampling the first image and down-sampling the second image; the up-sampling is performed with a scaling factor A and the down-sampling is performed with a scaling factor B; A is a value in the range between and including 1 and Z; and Z is the ratio of the FOV of the first sensor to the FOV of the second sensor. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) A camera as defined in claim 25, wherein the first lens has been designed to work with EDoF processing by the introduction of specified aberrations into the image formed on the first sensor, and wherein the first image is subsequently subjected to EDoF processing to focus the first image.