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US 8,902,321 B2Granted
Capturing and processing of images using monolithic camera array with heterogeneous imagers
AssigneePelican Imaging Corporation
InventorsKartik Venkataraman, Amandeep S. Jabbi, Robert H. Mullis
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Abstract
A camera array, an imaging device and/or a method for capturing image that employ a plurality of imagers fabricated on a substrate is provided. Each imager includes a plurality of pixels. The plurality of imagers include a first imager having a first imaging characteristics and a second imager having a second imaging characteristics. The images generated by the plurality of imagers are processed to obtain an enhanced image compared to images captured by the imagers. Each imager may be associated with an optical element fabricated using a wafer level optics (WLO) technology.
Claims30
A camera array, comprising:
- a plurality of cameras forming an array comprising a plurality of rows of cameras and a plurality of columns of cameras, where each camera includes separate optics, and a plurality of sensor elements, and each camera is configured to independently capture an image of a scene;
- wherein the optics of each camera are configured so that each camera has a field of view of the same scene that is shifted with respect to the field-of-views of the other cameras so that each shift includes a sub-pixel shifted view of the same scene;
- wherein the camera array is a monolithic integrated module comprising:
- a single semiconductor substrate on which all of the sensor elements and control circuitry are formed, where the control circuitry is configured to enable each camera to operate independently;
- and
- optics including a plurality of lens elements, where each lens element forms part of the separate optics for one of the cameras;
- and
- wherein the plurality of cameras comprises a plurality of different types of camera, where cameras of a given type share the same imaging characteristics and different types of cameras have different imaging characteristics including using different types of filters;
- and
- wherein one of the plurality of cameras includes a central camera and the plurality of cameras forms:
- at least one row of cameras above the central camera;
- at least one row of cameras below the central camera;
- at least one column of cameras to the left of the central camera;
- and
- at least one column of cameras to the right of the central camera;
- wherein cameras having the same imaging characteristics and filter are located in locations selected from the group consisting of:
- locations including at least one row in the camera array above the central camera and at least one row in the camera array below the central camera;
- and
- locations including at least one column in the camera array to the left of the central camera and at least one column in the camera array to the right of the central camera.
16 more elements
A linear camera array, comprising:
- a plurality of cameras forming a linear array, where each camera includes separate optics, and a plurality of sensor elements, and each camera is configured to independently capture an image of a scene;
- wherein the optics of each camera are configured so that each camera has a field of view that is shifted with respect to the field-of-views of the other cameras so that each shift includes a sub-pixel shifted view of the scene;
- wherein the linear camera array is a monolithic integrated module comprising:
- a single semiconductor substrate on which all of the sensor elements and control circuitry are formed, where the control circuitry is configured to enable each camera to operate independently;
- and
- optics including a plurality of lens elements, where each lens element forms part of the separate optics for one of the cameras;
- and
- wherein the plurality of cameras comprises a plurality of different types of camera, where cameras of a given type share the same imaging characteristics and different types of cameras have different imaging characteristics including using different types of filters;
- and
- wherein one of the plurality of cameras forms a central camera;
- wherein cameras having the same imaging characteristics and filter are located on either side of the central camera.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.