Single pixel camera
AssigneeGoogle Inc.
InventorsXiaoyu Miao, Babak Amirparviz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A camera system includes a single pixel photo-sensor disposed in or on a substrate to acquire image data. A micro-lens is adjustably positioned above the single pixel photo-sensor to focus external scene light onto the single pixel photo-sensor. An actuator is coupled to the micro-lens to adjust a position of the micro-lens relative to the single pixel photo-sensor. A controller controls the actuator to sequentially reposition the micro-lens to focus the external scene light incident from different angles onto the single pixel photo-sensor. Readout circuitry is coupled to sequentially readout the image data associated with each of the different angles from the single pixel photo-sensor.
Claims22
A camera system, comprising:
- a single pixel photo-sensor disposed in or on a substrate to acquire image data;
- a micro-lens adjustably positioned above the single pixel photo-sensor to focus external scene light onto the single pixel photo-sensor;
- an actuator coupled to the micro-lens to adjust a position of the micro-lens relative to the single pixel photo-sensor;
- a controller coupled to control the actuator to sequentially reposition the micro-lens to focus the external scene light incident from different angles onto the single pixel photo-sensor;
- and
- readout circuitry coupled to the single pixel photo-sensor to sequentially readout the image data associated with each of the different angles from the single pixel photo-sensor, wherein the image data associated with each of the different angles collectively represents a single image frame sequentially acquired by the single pixel photo-sensor.
A method of operating a camera system, comprising:
- sequentially repositioning a micro-lens through a sequence of positions disposed over a single pixel photo-sensor via an actuator coupled to the micro-lens;
- sequentially acquiring image signals of external scene light with the single pixel photo-sensor, wherein each of the image signals captures an image of the external scene light incident from a different angle selected via a corresponding position of the sequence of positions;
- and
- buffering the image signals acquired from the sequence of positions as an image frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.