Object space calibration of plenoptic imaging systems

A method for calibrating a plenoptic imaging system, the plenoptic imaging system including primary imaging optics, a secondary imaging array and a sensor array, the method comprising:

• the plenoptic imaging system capturing plenoptic images of an object that produces collimated light propagating along different propagation directions, each plenoptic image comprising a plurality of superpixels, each superpixel comprising a plurality of subpixels, each subpixel capturing light from at least one corresponding light field viewing direction, the light field viewing directions corresponding to the different propagation directions;
• based on the captured plenoptic images, calculating a mapping of propagation directions from the object to subpixels in the plenoptic image, the mapping defining the light field viewing directions for the subpixels, wherein calculating the mapping of propagation directions to subpixels comprises, for each collimated object:
• calculating a centroid of light captured by each superpixel;
• and
• mapping the propagation direction of light from the collimated object to the subpixels corresponding to the calculated centroids;
• and
• after calculating the mapping, the plenoptic imaging system capturing a second plenoptic image of a second object, and processing the second plenoptic image using the calculated mapping to account for the light field viewing directions for the subpixels.

A system for calibrating a plenoptic imaging system, the system comprising:

• an adjustable collimated object, the object adjustable to produce collimated light propagating along different propagation directions;
• a plenoptic imaging system that captures plenoptic images of the object adjusted to different propagation directions, each plenoptic image comprising a plurality of superpixels, each superpixel comprising a plurality of subpixels, each subpixel capturing light from a corresponding light field viewing direction;
• and
• a calibration module that, based on the captured plenoptic images, calculates a mapping of propagation directions to subpixels, the mapping defining the light field viewing directions for the subpixels.

A computer program product for calibrating a plenoptic imaging system, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory machine-readable medium storing computer program code for performing a method, the method comprising:

• automatically adjusting an object to produce collimated light propagating along different propagation directions, a plenoptic imaging system automatically capturing plenoptic images for each of the different propagation directions;
• accessing the plenoptic images captured by the plenoptic imaging system of the object that produces collimated light propagating along different propagation directions, each plenoptic image comprising a plurality of superpixels, each superpixel comprising a plurality of subpixels, each subpixel capturing light from a corresponding light field viewing direction, the light field viewing directions corresponding to the different propagation directions;
• based on the captured plenoptic images, calculating a mapping of propagation directions from the object to subpixels in the plenoptic image, the mapping defining the light field viewing directions for the subpixels;
• and
• after calculating the mapping, the plenoptic imaging system capturing a second plenoptic image of a second object, and processing the second plenoptic image using the calculated mapping to account for the light field viewing directions for the subpixels.