Dual-Mode Camera

• US 20070182840A1
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: e-Watch, Inc. (Cision Ltd.), The Telesis Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: e-Watch, Inc. (Cision Ltd.)
• Inventors: Monroe, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,768,566 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/335
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/16 for use in conjunction with image converters or intensifiers , or for use with projectors, e.g. objectives for projection TV
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/16 for containing both motion-picture camera and still-picture camera
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/48 adapted for combination with other photographic or optical apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 19/22 Double cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2209/048 having several pick-up sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/11 for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths
• 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 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6842 by controlling the scanning position, e.g. windowing
• 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 23/75 by influencing optical camera components
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

A dual camera system uses a single lens and no moving parts in the optical path. A single lens directs a desired scene to a partially reflective beamsplitting mirror, thence to a pair of image sensors. For day/night operation, one sensor may be optimized for nighttime sensitivity, while the other is optimized for daytime operation. Alternatively, one optical path may have greater magnification, thus allowing electronic zooming with no resolution loss. The system may be enhanced with an image intensifier for nighttime operation; digital sensors for improved resolution, or orthogonal gyroscopic accelerometers for image stabilization. Additionally, the monochrome and color images may be produced simultaneously and ‘fused’ algorithmically, yielding an improvement in sensitivity and color resolution compared with a conventional color camera.

Claims

1. A camera, comprising:

a single lens system adapted to direct a beam;

a mirror adapted to receive and distribute the directed beam;

a first image sensor adapted to receive a portion of the distributed beam;

a second image sensor adapted to receive a portion of the distributed beam;

a first iris adapted to limit an amount of the directed beam;

an image intensifier adapted to intensify the limited amount of the directed beam;

a second iris adapted to limit an amount of the intensified directed beam reaching at least one of the sensors;

at least one first module adapted to sample an output from at least one of the sensors;

at least one second module adapted to filter the sampled output;

at least one third module adapted to provide a time constant to the filtered output;

at least one iris driver adapted to;

receive the output from the at least one third module; and

drive the at least one iris actuator and the at least one iris thereby limiting the output if the output increases to a certain level.

2. A system, comprising:

a plurality of cameras sharing a single optical path, the cameras each comprising;

a single lens system adapted to direct a beam;

beam;

a plurality of sensors adapted to receive a portion of the distributed beam; and

a switch adapted to select an output from at least one of the sensors; and

a multiplexer, operably coupled to the cameras, adapted to select at least one of the cameras.

3. A camera, comprising:

a single lens system adapted to direct a beam;

a beam-splitting mirror adapted to receive and distribute the directed beam;

a first digital image sensor adapted to receive a portion of the distributed beam;

a second digital image sensor adapted to receive a portion of the distributed beam; and

control a scanning of the digital image sensors,

receive the scanned portions of the distributed beam; and

produce an output based on the received portions.

4. A camera, comprising:

a single lens system adapted to direct a beam;

a beam-splitting mirror adapted to receive and distribute the directed beam;

a first digital image sensor adapted to receive a portion of the distributed beam;

a second digital image sensor adapted to receive a portion of the distributed beam;

a processor adapted to control a scanning of the digital image sensors, and produce an output based on the scanning;

accelerations;

the processor further adapted to twice integrate the angular accelerations to derive an instantaneous angular position of the camera; and

the processor further adapted to temporally offset the scanning, thereby stabilizing the output based on the instantaneous angular position.

5. A camera, comprising:

a single lens system adapted to direct a beam;

a beam-splitting mirror adapted to receive and distribute the directed beam;

a first digital image sensor adapted to receive a portion of the distributed beam;

a second digital image sensor adapted to receive a portion of the distributed beam;

a processor adapted to control a scanning of the digital image sensors, and produce an output based on the scanning;

accelerations;

the processor further adapted to twice integrate the angular accelerations to derive an instantaneous angular position of the camera; and

the processor further adapted to variably offset read addresses driven to the digital image sensors, thereby stabilizing the output based on the instantaneous angular position.

6. A camera, comprising:

a single lens system adapted to direct a beam;

a beam-splitting mirror adapted to receive and distribute the directed beam;

a first digital image sensor adapted to receive a portion of the distributed beam;

a second digital image sensor adapted to receive a portion of the distributed beam; and

a processor adapted to;

occur in at least one of following order;

reverse-pixel; and

reverse-line; and

produce an output based on the scanning.

7. A camera, comprising:

a single lens system adapted to direct a beam;

a mirror adapted to receive and distribute the directed beam;

a color image sensor, providing chrominance information, adapted to receive a portion of the distributed beam;

a monochrome image sensor, providing luminance information, adapted to receive a portion of the distributed beam;

a processor adapted to;

control a scanning of the image sensors; and

produce an output based on the scanning, wherein a resolution of the output of the color image sensor is increased based on the filter.

8. A camera, comprising:

a single lens system adapted to direct a beam;

a mirror adapted to receive and distribute the directed beam;

a color image sensor, providing chrominance information, adapted to receive a portion of the distributed beam;

a monochrome image sensor, providing luminance information, adapted to receive a portion of the distributed beam; and

control a scanning of the chrominance information and the luminance information;

scale the chrominance information and the luminance information; and

merge the chrominance information and the luminance information.

9. A camera, comprising:

a single primary lens system adapted to direct a beam;

a beam-splitting mirror adapted to receive and distribute the directed beam;

a first image sensor adapted to receive a portion of the distributed beam;

a second image sensor adapted to receive a portion of the distributed beam;

a first iris associated with the single primary lens, whereby said first iris is adapted to limit an amount of the directed beam;

image sensor, whereby id image intensifier is adapted to intent the limited amount of the directed beam; and

a second iris associated with the image intensifier, whereby said second iris is adapted to limit an amount of the intensified directed beam reaching the first image sensor;

a processor adapted to control a scanning of the image sensors, and produce an output based on the scanning;

a first actuator;

a second actuator;

wherein incident light reaching the first image sensor is controlled by the second iris, as driven by the second actuator, under control of the processor, thereby preventing the first image sensor from saturation or overload; and