Systems and methods for manufacturing camera modules using active alignment of lens stack arrays and sensors
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- providing a lens stack array having a plurality of active focal planes in conjunction with a sensor, where each focal plane comprises a plurality of rows of pixels that also form a plurality of columns of pixels and each focal plane is contained within a region of the lens stack array that does not contain pixels from another focal plane;
capturing images of a known target using the plurality of active focal planes at different spatial relationships between the lens stack array and the sensor, where the lens stack array comprises a plurality of lens stacks, and where each lens stack corresponds to a focal plane of the plurality of focal planes;
scoring the images captured by the plurality of active focal planes, where the resulting scores provide a direct comparison of the extent to which a central and a peripheral region of interest are each focused in each of the images at each of the spatial relationships, and where the resulting scores are indicative of each active lens stack'"'"'s ability to focus;
comparing the resulting scores of captured images, wherein the comparison of scores further comprises computing;
a first best-fit plane that defines a spatial relationship between the lens stack array and the sensor based on each active lens stack'"'"'s ability to focus on the central region of interest according to a first predetermined criterion;
a second best-fit plane that defines a spatial relationship between the lens stack array and the sensor based on each active lens stack'"'"'s ability to focus on the peripheral region of interest according to a second predetermined criterion; and
at least a third intervening plane between the first and second best-fit planes; and
determining a final spatial relationship arrangement between the lens stack array and the sensor utilizing the comparison of the scoreswherein the images are scored such that a score is provided for each region of interest visible in each image, the score being indicative of the extent to which the respective region of interest is focused in the image; and
the comparison of scores comprises determining mathematical relationships for each of a plurality of active focal planes that characterize the relationships between;
the scores of the extent to which the central region of interest is focused in the images captured by the respective active focal plane and the spatial relationship between the lens stack array and the sensor; and
the scores of the extent to which the at least one peripheral region of interest is focused in the images captured by the respective active focal plane and the spatial relationship between the lens stack array and the sensor.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention actively align a lens stack array with an array of focal planes to construct an array camera module. In one embodiment, a method for actively aligning a lens stack array with a sensor that has a focal plane array includes: aligning the lens stack array relative to the sensor in an initial position; varying the spatial relationship between the lens stack array and the sensor; capturing images of a known target that has a region of interest using a plurality of active focal planes at different spatial relationships; scoring the images based on the extent to which the region of interest is focused in the images; selecting a spatial relationship between the lens stack array and the sensor based on a comparison of the scores; and forming an array camera subassembly based on the selected spatial relationship.
-
Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A method comprising:
-
providing a lens stack array having a plurality of active focal planes in conjunction with a sensor, where each focal plane comprises a plurality of rows of pixels that also form a plurality of columns of pixels and each focal plane is contained within a region of the lens stack array that does not contain pixels from another focal plane; capturing images of a known target using the plurality of active focal planes at different spatial relationships between the lens stack array and the sensor, where the lens stack array comprises a plurality of lens stacks, and where each lens stack corresponds to a focal plane of the plurality of focal planes; scoring the images captured by the plurality of active focal planes, where the resulting scores provide a direct comparison of the extent to which a central and a peripheral region of interest are each focused in each of the images at each of the spatial relationships, and where the resulting scores are indicative of each active lens stack'"'"'s ability to focus; comparing the resulting scores of captured images, wherein the comparison of scores further comprises computing; a first best-fit plane that defines a spatial relationship between the lens stack array and the sensor based on each active lens stack'"'"'s ability to focus on the central region of interest according to a first predetermined criterion; a second best-fit plane that defines a spatial relationship between the lens stack array and the sensor based on each active lens stack'"'"'s ability to focus on the peripheral region of interest according to a second predetermined criterion; and at least a third intervening plane between the first and second best-fit planes; and determining a final spatial relationship arrangement between the lens stack array and the sensor utilizing the comparison of the scores wherein the images are scored such that a score is provided for each region of interest visible in each image, the score being indicative of the extent to which the respective region of interest is focused in the image; and the comparison of scores comprises determining mathematical relationships for each of a plurality of active focal planes that characterize the relationships between; the scores of the extent to which the central region of interest is focused in the images captured by the respective active focal plane and the spatial relationship between the lens stack array and the sensor; and the scores of the extent to which the at least one peripheral region of interest is focused in the images captured by the respective active focal plane and the spatial relationship between the lens stack array and the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
Specification