Method for aligning a plurality of sub-apertures of a multiple-aperture imaging system

A method for aligning a plurality of sub-apertures of a multiple-aperture imaging system, the method comprising:

• identifying one sub-aperture of the plurality of sub-apertures to serve as a reference sub-aperture;
• actuating a piston associated with the reference sub-aperture in a first series of piston steps of a first substantially known amount;
• collecting data relating to each image of a first plurality of images of an object, each image of the first plurality of images corresponding to a respective piston step of the first series of piston steps;
• compiling the data relating to the first plurality of images, with a processor, into a three-dimensional data cube;
• detecting, with the processor, a plurality of fringe patterns positioned within the three-dimensional data cube;
• actuating the piston associated with the reference sub-aperture in a second series of piston steps of a second substantially known amount, the second series of piston steps occurring at a position corresponding with a location of the plurality of fringe patterns within the three-dimensional data cube, the second known amount being smaller than the first known amount;
• collecting data relating to each image of a second plurality of images of the point object, each image of the second plurality of images corresponding to a respective piston step of the second series of piston steps;
• compiling the data relating to the second plurality of images, with the processor, into the three-dimensional data cube;
• detecting, with the processor, the plurality of fringe patterns positioned within the three-dimensional data cube;
• determining, with the processor, a relative location of each sub-aperture of the plurality of sub-apertures based on a location of each fringe pattern of the plurality of fringe patterns within the three-dimensional data cube;
• and
• actuating a piston associated with at least one sub-aperture based, at least in part, on the relative location to move the at least one sub-aperture into alignment with another sub-aperture and repeating with each remaining sub-aperture until all sub-apertures are at substantially a same height.

A method for aligning a plurality of sub-apertures of a multiple-aperture imaging system, the method comprising:

• combining an individual image of a point object from each sub-aperture of the plurality of sub-apertures to form an aggregated plurality of individual images of the point object;
• determining a correspondence between each individual image of the aggregated plurality of individual images and each sub-aperture of the plurality of sub-apertures;
• co-aligning all individual images of the aggregated plurality of individual images to form a stack of images, thus forming a single image of the point object;
• identifying one sub-aperture of the plurality of sub-apertures to serve as a reference sub-aperture;
• actuating a piston associated with the reference sub-aperture in a series of piston steps of a substantially known amount;
• collecting data relating to each image of a plurality of images of the point object, each image corresponding to a respective piston step;
• compiling the data, with a processor, into a three-dimensional data cube;
• detecting, with the processor, a plurality of fringe patterns positioned within the three-dimensional data cube;
• determining, with the processor, a relative location of each sub-aperture of the plurality of sub-apertures based on a location of each fringe pattern of the plurality of fringe patterns within the three-dimensional data cube;
• and
• actuating a piston associated with at least one sub-aperture based, at least in part, on the relative location to move the at least one sub-aperture into alignment with another sub-aperture and repeating with each remaining sub-aperture until all sub-apertures are at substantially a same height.