Multiscale optical system having dynamic camera settings
AssigneeDuke University
InventorsDavid Jones Brady, Jungsang Kim, Daniel Marks, Hui Seong Son
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A multiscale imaging system including microcameras having controllable focus, dynamic range, exposure, and magnification is disclosed. The objective lens forms a three-dimensional image field of a scene. Image regions of the image field are relayed by the microcameras onto their respective focal-plane arrays, which collectively provide a plurality of digital sub-images of the scene. The digital sub-images can then be used to form a composite digital image of the scene that can have enhanced depth-of-field, enhanced dynamic range, parallax views of the scene, or three-dimensionality.
Claims30
An optical system for imaging a scene, the optical system comprising:
- a first optical element, the first optical element being operative for forming a three-dimensional image field of the scene;
- and
- a plurality of microcameras that is arranged such that each microcamera has a unique optical axis that extends radially from the first optical element through the image field, each of the plurality of microcameras comprising (1) camera optics that includes at least one lens element and (2) a focal-plane array, and each of the plurality of camera optics being operative for relaying a different image region of the image field as an optical sub-image that is focused onto its respective focal-plane array, wherein at least one of the plurality of microcameras has controllable focus, and wherein at least one of the microcameras of the plurality thereof is operative for reducing the magnitude of an aberration in its relayed image region.
An optical system for imaging a scene, the optical system comprising:
- a first optical element that is operative for forming an image field of the scene;
- and
- a plurality of microcameras that is arranged such that each microcamera has a unique optical axis that extends radially from the first optical element through the image field, each microcamera comprising (1) camera optics that includes at least one lens element and (2) a focal-plane array, and the camera optics of each of the plurality of microcameras being operative for relaying a different image region of the image field as an optical sub-image that is focused on its respective focal-plane array;
- wherein the image field is characterized by a first depth along the optical axis of a first microcamera of the plurality thereof, and wherein the camera optics of the first microcamera are operative for controlling the range within the first depth at which the microcamera is focused.
A method for forming an image of a scene, the method comprising:
- imaging the scene through a first optical element to form a three-dimensional image field;
- providing a plurality of microcameras, each microcamera comprising (1) camera optics that includes at least one lens element and (2) a focal-plane array, wherein the plurality of microcameras is arranged such that each of the plurality of microcameras has a unique optical axis that extends radially from the first optical element through the image field, and wherein at least one microcamera of the plurality thereof has controllable focus;
- relaying a plurality of image regions of the image field, wherein each image region is relayed by the camera optics of a different microcamera of the plurality thereof as an optical sub-image that is focused on its respective focal-plane array;
- and
- converting each optical sub-image of the plurality thereof into a digital sub-image.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.