Systems and methods for synthesizing high resolution images using images captured by an array of independently controllable imagers

An array camera, comprising:

• an imager array including a plurality of imagers and control circuitry for independently triggering each imager, where:
• each of the imagers receives light through a separate lens system and includes a sensor;
• the control circuitry controls the imaging parameters of the sensor of each imager;
• a processor;
• and
• memory containing an image processing pipeline software application and parameters defining a forward imaging transformation for the imager array;
• wherein the image processing pipeline software directs the processor to:
• trigger the imagers in the imager array to obtain a plurality of input images and store the input images in memory, where the input images capture a scene in which depths of points in the imaged scene vary and each of the input images differs from the other input images due to:
• scene independent geometric distortions inherent to the optics and manufacturing processes used to fabricate each of the plurality of imagers;
• and
• scene dependent geometric displacements due to parallax based upon the depths of the points in the imaged scene;
• and
• determine scene dependent parallax information with respect to the input images based upon disparity relative to a reference point of view resulting from the depths of points in the imaged scene, where the scene dependent parallax information comprises scene dependent geometric transformations;
• determine an initial estimate of at least a portion of a high resolution image from a plurality of pixels from the input images based upon a total shift for each of the plurality of pixels relative to the reference point of view, where the total shift of a given pixel location is the combination of a scene independent geometric correction determined for the given pixel using geometric calibration data and the scene dependent geometric transformation determined for the given pixel location;
• and
• determine a high resolution image that when mapped through the forward imaging transformation matches the input images to within at least one predetermined criterion using the initial estimate of at least a portion of the high resolution image;
• wherein each forward imaging transformation corresponds to the manner in which each imager in the plurality of images captures the input images and comprises applying geometric transformations related to parallax observed due to the depths of points in the imaged scene;
• and
• wherein the high resolution image has a resolution that is greater than any of the input images.