Chromatic aberration correction by moving photo-detector array

• US 20050185857A1
• Filed: 02/25/2004
• Published: 08/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Myhrvold, Nathan P., Tegreene, Clarence T., Wood, Lowell L. Jr., Hillis, W. Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 7,130,489 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/284
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/482 using the same detector device sequentially for different colour components

Abstract

A system constructs a composite image by moving a photo-detector array.

Claims

1. A method of capturing an image, comprising:

capturing a representation of a first image from a photo-detector array at a first orientation;

changing an orientation of the photo-detector array about a defined axis in response to a defined wavelength;

capturing a representation of another image from the photo-detector array at another orientation; and

generating a composite image utilizing the representation of the first image and the representation of the other image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said capturing a representation of a first image from a photo-detector array at a first orientation further comprises:

extracting at least one of a red, blue, or green color component of the representation of the first image.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said extracting at least one of a red, blue, or green color component of the representation of the first image further comprises:

numerically filtering the representation of the first image.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said changing an orientation of the photo-detector array about a defined axis in response to a defined wavelength further comprises:

tilting the photo-detector array about a defined axis of tilt.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said tilting the photo-detector array about a defined axis of tilt further comprises:

tilting a portion of the photo-detector array forward of the defined axis of tilt.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said tilting the photo-detector array about a defined axis of tilt further comprises:

tilting a portion of the photo-detector array rearward of the defined axis of tilt.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said changing an orientation of the photo-detector array about a defined axis in response to a defined wavelength further comprises:

rotating the photo-detector array about a defined axis of rotation.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said rotating the photo-detector array about a defined axis of rotation further comprises:

rotating the photo-detector array about a defined center in a clockwise fashion.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said rotating the photo-detector array about a defined axis of rotation further comprises:

rotating the photo-detector array about a defined center in a counter-clockwise fashion.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said capturing a representation of another image from the photo-detector array at another orientation further comprises:

extracting at least one of a red, blue, or green color component of the representation of the other image.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said extracting at least one of a red, blue, or green color component of the representation of the other image further comprises:

numerically filtering the representation of the other image.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating a composite image utilizing the representation of the first image and the representation of the other image further comprises:

generating the composite image utilizing the representation of the first image in at least one of a red, blue, or green color.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating a composite image utilizing the representation of the first image and the representation of the other image further comprises:

generating the composite image utilizing the representation of the other image in at least one of a red, blue, or green color.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating a composite image utilizing the representation of the first image and the representation of the other image further comprises:

correlating the representation of the first image in a first color with the representation of the other image in another color.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating a composite image utilizing the representation of the first image and the representation of the other image further comprises:

assembling the composite image from the representation of the first image in a first color and the representation of the other image in another color.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating a composite image utilizing the representation of the first image and the representation of the other image further comprises:

determining at least one focus of the representation of the first image and the representation of the other image; and

assembling the composite image utilizing at least one of the representation of the first image and the representation of the other image in response to the determined at least one focus of the representation of the first image and the representation of the other image.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said determining at least one focus of the representation of the first image and the representation of the other image further comprises:

calculating a Fourier transform of at least one of the representation of the first image or the representation of the other image.

18. A system of capturing an image, comprising:

means for capturing a representation of a first image from a photo-detector array at a first orientation;

means for changing an orientation of the photo-detector array about a defined axis in response to a defined wavelength;

means for capturing a representation of another image from the photo-detector array at another orientation; and

means for generating a composite image utilizing the representation of the first image and the representation of the other image.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said means for capturing a representation of a first image from a photo-detector array at a first orientation further comprises:

means for extracting at least one of a red, blue, or green color component of the representation of the first image.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said means for extracting at least one of a red, blue, or green color component of the representation of the first image further comprises:

means for numerically filtering the representation of the first image.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein said means for changing an orientation of the photo-detector array about a defined axis in response to a defined wavelength further comprises:

means for tilting the photo-detector array about a defined axis of tilt.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said means for tilting the photo-detector array about a defined axis of tilt further comprises:

means for tilting a portion of the photo-detector array forward of the defined axis of tilt.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein said means for tilting the photo-detector array about a defined axis of tilt further comprises:

means for tilting a portion of the photo-detector array rearward of the defined axis of tilt.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein said means for changing an orientation of the photo-detector array about a defined axis in response to a defined wavelength further comprises:

means for rotating the photo-detector array about a defined axis of rotation.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein said means for rotating the photo-detector array about a defined axis of rotation further comprises:

means for rotating the photo-detector array about a defined center in a clockwise fashion.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein said means for rotating the photo-detector array about a defined axis of rotation further comprises:

means for rotating the photo-detector array about a defined center in a counter-clockwise fashion.

27. The system of claim 18, wherein said means for capturing a representation of another image from the photo-detector array at another orientation further comprises:

means for extracting at least one of a red, blue, or green color component of the representation of the other image.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein said means for extracting at least one of a red, blue, or green color component of the representation of the other image further comprises:

means for numerically filtering the representation of the other image.

29. The system of claim 18, wherein said means for generating a composite image utilizing the representation of the first image and the representation of the other image further comprises:

means for generating the composite image utilizing the representation of the first image in at least one of a red, blue, or green color.

30. The system of claim 18, wherein said means for generating a composite image utilizing the representation of the first image and the representation of the other image further comprises:

means for generating the composite image utilizing the representation of the other image in at least one of a red, blue, or green color.

31. The system of claim 18, wherein said means for generating a composite image utilizing the representation of the first image and the representation of the other image further comprises:

means for correlating the representation of the first image in a first color with the representation of the other image in another color.

32. The system of claim 18, wherein said means for generating a composite image utilizing the representation of the first image and the representation of the other image further comprises:

means for assembling the composite image from the representation of the first image in a first color and the representation of the other image in another color.

33. The system of claim 18, wherein said means for generating a composite image utilizing the representation of the first image and the representation of the other image further comprises:

means for determining at least one focus of the representation of the first image and the representation of the other image; and

means for assembling the composite image utilizing at least one of the representation of the first image or the representation of the other image in response to the determined at least one focus of the representation of the first image and the representation of the other image.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein said means for determining at least one focus of the representation of the first image and the representation of the other image further comprises:

means for calculating a Fourier transform of at least one of the representation of the first image or the representation of the other image.

35. A system comprising:

a photo-detector array;

a controller configured to change a position of said photo-detector array from a first orientation to another orientation in response to a defined wavelength;

an image capture unit operably coupled with said controller; and

an image construction unit operably coupled with said image capture unit, said image construction unit configured to construct utilizing the representation of the first image and the representation of the other image.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein said controller configured to change a position of said photo-detector array from a first orientation to another orientation in response to a defined wavelength further comprises:

a transducer system having a control signal input operably coupled with said controller and a motion output operably coupled with said photo-detector array.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein said transducer system further comprises an electric motor operably coupled to tilt said photo-detector array.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein said transducer system further comprises an electric motor operably coupled to rotate said photo-detector array.

39. The system of claim 35, wherein said image construction unit operably coupled with said image capture unit, said image construction unit configured to construct utilizing the representation of the first image and the representation of the other image further comprises:

circuitry for determining at least one focus of the representation of the first image and the representation of the other image; and

circuitry for assembling the composite image utilizing at least one of the representation of the first image or the representation of the other image in response to the determined at least one focus of the representation of the first image and the representation of the other image.

40. A method of capturing an image, comprising:

capturing a representation of a first image from a photo-detector array at a first orientation;

tilting the photo-detector array about a defined axis of tilt in response to a defined wavelength;

capturing a representation of another image from the photo-detector array at another orientation; and

generating a composite image utilizing the representation of the first image and the representation of the other image.

41. A system for capturing an image, comprising:

means for capturing a representation of a first image from a photo-detector array at a first orientation;

means for tilting the photo-detector array about a defined axis of tilt in response to a defined wavelength;

means for capturing a representation of another image from the photo-detector array at another orientation; and

means for generating a composite image utilizing the representation of the first image and the representation of the other image.

42. A method of capturing an image, comprising:

capturing a representation of a first image from a photo-detector array at a first orientation;

rotating the photo-detector array about a defined axis of rotation in response to a defined wavelength;

capturing a representation of another image from the photo-detector array at another orientation; and

generating a composite image utilizing the representation of the first image and the representation of the other image.

43. A system of capturing an image, comprising:

means for capturing a representation of a first image from a photo-detector array at a first orientation;

means for rotating the photo-detector array about a defined axis of rotation in response to a defined wavelength;

means for capturing a representation of another image from the photo-detector array at another orientation; and

means for generating a composite image utilizing the representation of the first image and the representation of the other image.

44. A method of capturing an image, comprising:

capturing a representation of a first image from a photo-detector array at a first orientation;

tilting the photo-detector array about a defined axis of tilt and rotating the photo-detector array about a defined axis of rotation in response to a defined wavelength;

capturing a representation of another image from the photo-detector array at another orientation; and

generating a composite image utilizing the representation of the first image and the representation of the other image such that a chromatic aberration is reduced.

45. A system of capturing an image, comprising:

means for capturing a representation of a first image from a photo-detector array at a first orientation;

means for tilting the photo-detector array about a defined axis of tilt and rotating the photo-detector array about a defined axis of rotation in response to a defined wavelength;

means for capturing a representation of another image from the photo-detector array at another orientation; and

means for generating a composite image utilizing the representation of the first image and the representation of the other image such that a chromatic aberration is reduced.