Camera with panoramic scanning range

• US 10,645,286 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2018
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corephotonics Ltd. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Corephotonics Ltd. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Fridman, Roy, Bachar, Gil, Katz, Ruthy, Zinger, Itamar, Ilan, Paz
• Primary Examiner(s): Torrente, Richard T
• Application Number:
  US16/300,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20190394396A1
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/0065 having a beam-folding prism or mirror
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/06 Panoramic objectives; So-called "sky lenses" including panoramic objectives having reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/642 Optical derotators, i.e. systems for compensating for image rotation, e.g. using rotating prisms, mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/644 compensating for large deviations, e.g. maintaining a fixed line of sight while a vehicle on which the system is mounted changes course
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/17 with reflectors arranged in beam forming the photographic image, e.g. for reducing dimensions of camera
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/02 with scanning movement of lens or cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/292 Multi-camera tracking
• 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 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/58 Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation

Abstract

Cameras with panoramic scanning range comprising a folded digital camera in which an optical path folding element (OPFE) that folds a first optical path from an object or scene into a second optical path substantially parallel with an optical axis of a lens of the folded camera, the OPFE being rotatable around the lens optical axis, and systems incorporating such cameras.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a) a first folded digital camera with a first field of view (FOV), the first folded digital camera including a first lens having a first lens optical axis, a first image sensor and a first optical path folding element (OPFE) that folds a first optical path from an object or scene to a second optical path, wherein the second optical path is substantially parallel with the first lens optical axis, and wherein the first OPFE is rotatable around the first lens optical axis relative to the first image sensor; and

b) a second folded digital camera with a second FOV, wherein the second folded digital camera includes a second lens having a second lens optical axis and a second OPFE that folds the first optical path from the object or scene to the second optical path, wherein the first and second lens optical axes are parallel and wherein the second OPFE is rotatable around the second lens optical axis.

2. The platform of claim 1, wherein the first folded digital camera is operational to change the first FOV autonomously.

3. A method, comprising:

a) providing a first folded digital camera with a first field of view (FOV), the first folded digital camera including a first lens having a first lens optical axis, a first image sensor and a first optical path folding element (OPFE) that folds a first optical path from an object or scene to a second optical path, wherein the second optical path is substantially parallel with the first lens optical axis, wherein the folded digital camera has a first original orientation and wherein the first OPFE is rotatable around the first lens optical axis relative to the first image sensor;

b) providing a second folded digital camera with a second FOV, wherein the second folded digital camera includes a second lens having a second lens optical axis and a second OPFE that folds the first optical path from the object or scene to the second optical path, wherein the first and second lens optical axes are parallel and wherein the second OPFE is rotatable around the second lens optical axis;

c) rotating the first OPFE around the first lens optical axis relative to the first image sensor in a first rotation direction to set the first optical path in a desired first direction; and

d) taking an image.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the rotating the first OPFE around the first lens optical axis in a first rotation direction to set the first optical path in a desired first direction includes rotating the first OPFE to set the first optical path in a plurality of desired first directions in a first range of up to 180 degrees, and wherein the taking an image includes taking an image at each direction of the plurality of desired first directions, thereby obtaining a matching first plurality of taken images.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising constructing a first panoramic image from the first plurality of taken images.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising rotating the first OPFE around the first lens optical axis in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction, to set the first optical path in a plurality of desired second directions in a second range of up to 180 degrees opposite to the first range, and wherein the taking an image includes taking an image at each direction of the plurality of desired second directions, thereby obtaining a matching second plurality of taken images.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising constructing a second panoramic image from the first plurality of taken images.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising combining the first and second panoramic images into a combined panoramic image.