HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGING SYSTEM

• US 20070263113A1
• Filed: 05/09/2006
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stereo D Inc., Stereo Display, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Angstrom, Inc., Stereo Display, Inc.
• Inventors: CHO, GYOUNG IL, SEO, CHEONG SOO, BAEK, SANG HYUNE
• Granted Patent: US 9,736,346 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/340
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0825 the reflecting element being a flexible sheet or membrane, e.g. for varying the focus flexible mirrors for cosmetic use A45D42/24
• 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 23/951 by using two or more images to influence resolution, frame rate or aspect ratio

Abstract

The present invention provides an imaging system generating a high resolution image using low resolution images taken by a low resolution image sensor. Also, the imaging system generates a wide angle of view image. Enhancement of resolution and enlargement of angle of view are accomplished by optical axis change, utilizing one or more micromirror array lenses without macroscopic mechanical movements of lenses. The imaging system also provides zoom and auto focusing functions using micromirror array lenses.

Claims

1. An imaging system for improving image resolution comprising:

a) a lens system comprising at least one micromirror array lens (MMAL) having a plurality of micromirror, configured to form an image with changing the optical axis;

b) an image sensor, configured to sense the image; and

c) an image processing unit, communicatively coupled to the image sensor, configured to process the images sensed by the image sensor and to generate a higher resolution or wide angle of view image than that of the image sensor.

2. The imaging system of claim 1 further comprises an arithmetical unit providing the amount of magnification and the directions of the optical axis of the imaging system based on a desired image resolution.

3. The imaging system of claim 2, wherein the required magnification and the pointing directions of the optical axis are calculated so that each sectional image is overlapped with adjacent sectional images to compensate for the movement of the imaging system.

4. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein an object is divided into at least one sectional object area, of which size and location are determined based on the desired image resolution.

5. The imaging system of claim 4, wherein a sectional image for each sectional object area is taken by changing the optical axis or the optical axis and magnification of the imaging system.

6. The imaging system of claim 5, wherein the image processing unit combines the sectional object images to generate a single high resolution composite image.

7. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the lens system comprising:

a) a first MMAL for changing magnification; and

b) a second MMAL optically coupled to the first MMAL for forming the image in-focus in the image plane;

wherein the optical axis of the imaging system is changed by the first MMAL or the second MMAL or both the first MMAL and the second MMAL.

8. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein each micromirror of the MMAL is actuated by electrostatic force.

9. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the aberration of the system is corrected by controlling the translation and/or rotation of each micromirror in the MMALs.

10. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the MMAL compensates for the aberration caused by phase errors of light introduced by the medium between the object and its image.

11. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the MMAL compensates for the aberration caused by the defects of the imaging system that makes the image deviate from the rules of paraxial imagery.

12. The imaging system of claim 1 further comprises optical filters for image enhancement.

13. The imaging system of claim 7 further comprises a beam splitter positioned between the first MMAL and the second MMAL.

14. The imaging system of claim 7, wherein the first MMAL and the second MMAL are positioned so that the path of the light reflected by the first MMAL and the second MMAL is not blocked.

15. The imaging system of claim 1 further comprises an auxiliary lens or lenses for changing the field of view of the imaging system.

16. The imaging system of claim 1 further comprises an auxiliary lens or lenses for the enhancement of image resolution.

17. The imaging system of claim 1 further comprises an auxiliary lens or lenses to correct the aberration of the imaging system.

18. The imaging system of claim 5 provides auto focusing function, wherein the focus of each sectional image is corrected.

19. The imaging system of claim 1, wherein the directions of the optical axis of the imaging system have subpixel relative displacements between one another, wherein the lens system takes a plurality of images by changing the optical axis, and wherein the image processing unit fuses images to generate a high resolution composite image.

20. The imaging system of claim 19 further comprises an arithmetical unit providing the directions of the optical axis of the imaging system based on the desired image resolution.

21. The imaging system of claim 19, wherein at least one MMAL in the lens system changes the optical axis of imaging system.

22. The imaging system of claim 19, wherein when the object moves more than the sub-pixel level, images received from the image sensor need to be registered to one another with subpixel accuracy.

23. The imaging system of claim 4, wherein the lens system takes sectional images for each sectional object area by changing the direction of optical axis, and wherein the image processing unit combines the sectional object images to generate a single wide angle of view image.

24. The imaging system of claim 23, wherein the required pointing directions of the optical axis are calculated so that each sectional image is overlapped with adjacent sectional images to compensate for the movement of the imaging system.

25. The imaging system of claim 23 provides auto focusing function, wherein the focus of each sectional image is corrected.