DIGITAL IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS CAPABLE OF CAPTURING IMAGES FROM DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS

• US 20050068460A1
• Filed: 01/27/2004
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Transpacific Plasma, LLC
• Inventors: Lin, Yu-Chieh
• Granted Patent: US 7,375,759 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/374
• 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

Abstract

A digital image capturing apparatus includes a housing, a first hole installed on the front side of the housing for inputting light from the front, a second hole installed on the rear side of the housing for inputting light from the rear, a reflector module installed in the housing for reflecting the light input from the first hole or the second hole, a photosensor installed in the housing for sensing the light from the reflector module, and an image generating module installed in the housing for generating an image according to the light sensed by the photosensor.

Claims

1. A digital image capturing apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a first hole installed on the front side of the housing for inputting light from the front;

a second hole installed on the rear side of the housing for inputting light from the rear;

a reflector module installed in the housing for reflecting the light input from the first hole or the second hole;

a photosensor installed in the housing for sensing the light from the reflector module; and

an image generating module installed in the housing for generating an image according to the light sensed by the photosensor.

2. The digital image capturing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a lens group installed between the reflector module and the photosensor for focusing the light from the reflector module onto the photosensor.

3. The digital image capturing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first lens group installed between the first hole and the reflector module for focusing the light from the first hole onto the photosensor, and a second lens group installed between the second hole and the reflector module for focusing the light from the second hole onto the photosensor.

4. The digital image capturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reflector module comprises:

a pedestal turning on a first axis;

a first reflector installed on a first side of the pedestal for reflecting the light from the first hole to the photosensor;

a second reflector installed on a second side of the pedestal for reflecting the light from the second hole to the photosensor; and

a strobe installed between the front side of the pedestal and the second reflector being capable of turning along with the pedestal, for providing a light source necessary for the digital image capturing apparatus.

5. The digital image capture apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first axis is perpendicular to the pedestal.

6. The digital image capturing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the normal lines of the first reflector and the second reflector cross at right angles.

7. The digital image capturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reflector module comprises:

a pedestal turning on a second axis;

a reflector installed on a side of the pedestal for reflecting the light from the first hole or the second hole to the photosensor; and

a strobe installed on the pedestal and being capable of tug along with the pedestal for providing a light source necessary for the digital image capturing apparatus.

8. The digital image capturing apparatus of claim 7, wherein the acute angle formed by the second axis and the normal line of the reflector is 45 degrees.

9. The digital image capturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reflector module comprises:

a reflector turning on a third axis;

a first strobe installed on the front side of the pedestal for providing a light source necessary for the digital image capturing apparatus when the reflector turns to a direction for reflecting the light from the first hole; and

a second strobe installed on the rear side of the pedestal for providing a light source necessary for the digital image capturing apparatus when the reflector turns to a direction for reflecting the light from the second hole.

10. The digital image capturing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the third axis is perpendicular to the normal line of the reflector.

11. The digital image capturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reflector module comprises:

a first reflector and a second reflector aligned on a line with their normal lines crossing at right angles;

a first strobe installed in the housing for providing a light source necessary for the digital image capturing apparatus when the first reflector turns to a direction for reflecting the light from the first hole to the photosensor; and

a second strobe installed in the housing for providing a light source necessary for the digital image capturing apparatus when the second reflector turns to a direction for reflecting the light from the second hole to the photosensor,

wherein the two reflectors and the two strobes can move up and down toward the photosensor, in order to receive the light from the first reflector or the second reflector.

12. The digital image capturing apparatus of claim 1, wherein both the first hole and the second hole are installed with at transparent material.

13. The digital image capturing apparatus of claim 1 being a digital camera or a digital camcorder.

14. A digital image capturing apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a lens installed on the housing, being capable of moving back and forth, for inputting light from the front or from the rear of the housing;

a reflector module installed in the housing for reflecting the light input from the lens;

a photosensor installed in the housing for sensing the light from the reflector module; and

an image generating module installed in the housing for generating an image according to the light sensed by the photosensor.

15. The digital image capturing apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a lens group installed between the reflector module and the photosensor for focusing the light from the reflector module onto the photosensor.

16. The digital image capturing apparatus of claim 14, wherein the reflector module is installed in the housing and is capable of moving along with the lens.

17. The digital image capturing apparatus of claim 14, wherein the reflector module comprises:

a pedestal turning on a fourth axis;

a reflector installed on a side of the pedestal for reflecting the light from the lens to the photosensor; and

a strobe installed on the pedestal and being capable of turning along with the pedestal for providing a light source necessary to the digital image capturing apparatus.

18. The digital image capturing apparatus of claim 17, wherein the acute angle formed by the fourth axis and the normal line of the reflector is 45 degrees.

19. The digital image capturing apparatus of claim 14, wherein the reflector module comprises:

a first reflector and a second reflector aligned on a line with their normal lines crossing at right angles;

a first strobe installed in the housing for providing a light source necessary for the digital image capturing apparatus when the first reflector turns to a direction for reflecting the light from the lens to the photosensor; and

a second strobe installed in the housing for providing a light source necessary for the digital image capturing apparatus when the second reflector turns to a direction for reflecting the light from the lens to the photosensor,

wherein the two reflectors and the two strobes can move up and down toward the photosensor in order to reflect the light from the lens.

20. The digital image capturing apparatus of claim 14 being a digital camera or a digital camcorder.

21. A digital image capturing apparatus capable of capturing images from different directions comprising:

a housing;

at least one hole installed in the housing for inputting light;

a reflector module installed in the housing for reflecting the light input from the hole;

a photosensor installed in the housing for sensing the light from the reflector module; and

an image generating module installed in the housing for generating an image according to the lit sensed by the photosensor.

22. The digital image capturing apparatus of claim 21, wherein the hole is installed with a transparent material.