Wide-field of view (FOV) imaging devices with active foveation capability

• US 10,162,184 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2018
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
• Inventors: Gao, Chunyu, Hua, Hong
• Primary Examiner(s): Atala, Jamie J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boylan, James
• Application Number:
  US16/006,717
• Publication Number:
  US 20180284456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 196 Days
• Field of Search: 348 36, 348 39
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/06 Panoramic objectives; So-called "sky lenses" including panoramic objectives having reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0145 creating an intermediate image
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/015 involving arrangement aiming to get less bulky devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 25/001 Eyepieces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/00 Optical devices or arrangements for the control of light using movable or deformable optical elements control of light by modification of the optical properties of the media of the elements involved therein G02F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1066 for enhancing image performance, like resolution, pixel numbers, dual magnifications or dynamic range, by tiling, slicing or overlapping fields of view
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/144 using partially transparent surfaces without spectral selectivity G02B27/147 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/283 used for beam splitting or combining
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/04 Prisms
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/02 with scanning movement of lens or cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture

Abstract

The present invention comprises a foveated imaging system capable of capturing a wide field of view image and a foveated image, where the foveated image is a controllable region of interest of the wide field of view image.

Claims

1. A foveated imaging system, configured to capture a wide field of view image and a foveated image, where the foveated image is a controllable region of interest of the wide field of view image, the system comprising:

an objective lens, facing an external scene, configured to receive incoming light from an external scene and to focus the light upon a beamsplitter,

a beamsplitter, configured to split the incoming light from the external scene into a first portion on a wide field of view imaging path and second portion on a foveated imaging path;

the wide field of view imaging path comprising;

a first stop, separate from the objective lens, which limits the amount of the first portion received in the wide field of view path from the beamsplitter;

a wide field of view imaging lens, different from the objective lens and configured to receive the first portion from the first stop and focus a wide field of view image on a wide field of view imaging sensor, wherein the wide field of view imaging sensor is configured to record the first portion focused from the wide field of view imaging lens as a wide field of view image;

the foveated imaging path consisting of;

a second stop, which limits the second portion received in the foveated imaging path from the beamsplitter;

a scanning mirror, the scanning mirror being a dual-axis movable mirror configured to tilt about an X and Y axis and reflect a selected region of interest within the second portion from the beamsplitter back towards the beamsplitter;

a reflective surface, disposed upon the beamsplitter, configured to direct the second portion reflected by the scanning mirror;

a foveated imaging lens, configured to receive the second portion, associated with a region of interest of the external scene, from the scanning mirror, and focus a foveated image on a foveated imaging sensor wherein the foveated imaging sensor is configured to record the region of interest from the foveated imaging lens as a higher resolution foveated image;

wherein the foveated image system is configured to display the higher resolution foveated image within the wide field of view image.