Auto-alignment of image sensors in a multi-camera system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for synchronizing a pair of image sensors, the method comprising:
- accessing a pair of images synchronously captured by the pair of image sensors, wherein the pair of image sensors include an image sensor of a first camera and an image sensor of a second camera, wherein the pair of image sensors are controlled by the first camera controlling the image sensor of the second camera;
identifying a pixel shift of a first of the pair of images relative to a second of the pair of images by matching a first edge of the first of the pair of images with a second edge of the second of the pair of images;
determining a time lag between the pair of image sensors based on the identified pixel shift, the time lag comprising an amount of time required to capture a number of pixel lines corresponding to the identified pixel shift;
generating a calibration measure based on the identified pixel shift for calibrating at least one image sensor to synchronize subsequent image capture by the pair of image sensors; and
capturing a subsequent pair of images based on the generated calibration measure.
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Abstract
A pair of cameras having an overlapping field of view is aligned based on images captured by image sensors of the pair of cameras. A pixel shift is identified between the images. Based on the identified pixel shift, a calibration is applied to one or both of the pair of cameras. To determine the pixel shift, the camera applies correlation methods including edge matching. Calibrating the pair of cameras may include adjusting a read window on an image sensor. The pixel shift can also be used to determine a time lag, which can be used to synchronize subsequent image captures.
37 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for synchronizing a pair of image sensors, the method comprising:
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accessing a pair of images synchronously captured by the pair of image sensors, wherein the pair of image sensors include an image sensor of a first camera and an image sensor of a second camera, wherein the pair of image sensors are controlled by the first camera controlling the image sensor of the second camera; identifying a pixel shift of a first of the pair of images relative to a second of the pair of images by matching a first edge of the first of the pair of images with a second edge of the second of the pair of images; determining a time lag between the pair of image sensors based on the identified pixel shift, the time lag comprising an amount of time required to capture a number of pixel lines corresponding to the identified pixel shift; generating a calibration measure based on the identified pixel shift for calibrating at least one image sensor to synchronize subsequent image capture by the pair of image sensors; and capturing a subsequent pair of images based on the generated calibration measure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A multi-camera system, each camera having an image sensor, the multi-camera system configured to:
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access a pair of images synchronously captured by the image sensors, wherein the image sensors include an image sensor of a first camera and an image sensor of a second camera, wherein the image sensors are controlled by the first camera controlling the image sensor of the second camera; identify a pixel shift of a first of the pair of images relative to a second of the pair of images by matching a first edge of the first of the pair of images with a second edge of the second of the pair of images; determine a time lag between the pair of image sensors based on the identified pixel shift, the time lag comprising an amount of time required to capture a number of pixel lines corresponding to the identified pixel shift; generate a calibration measure based on the identified pixel shift for calibrating at least one image sensor to synchronize subsequent image capture by the image sensors; and capture a subsequent pair of images based on the generated calibration measure. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions for synchronizing a pair of image sensors, the instructions executable by at least one processor, the instructions comprising instructions for:
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accessing a pair of images synchronously captured by the pair of image sensors, wherein the pair of image sensors include an image sensor of a first camera and an image sensor of a second camera, wherein the pair of image sensors are controlled by the first camera controlling the image sensor of the second camera; identifying a pixel shift of a first of the pair of images relative to a second of the pair of images by matching a first edge of the first of the pair of images to a second edge of the second of the pair of images; determining a time lag between the pair of image sensors based on the identified pixel shift, the time lag comprising an amount of time required to capture a number of pixel lines corresponding to the identified pixel shift; generating a calibration measure based on the identified pixel shift for calibrating at least one image sensor to synchronize subsequent image capture by the pair of image sensors; and capturing a subsequent pair of images based on the generated calibration measure. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification