CMOS STEREO CAMERA FOR OBTAINING THREE-DIMENSIONAL IMAGE

• US 20090058993A1
• Filed: 02/07/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siliconfile Technologies Incorporated (SK Hynix Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Siliconfile Technologies Incorporated (SK Hynix Inc.)
• Inventors: Won, Jun Ho, Lee, Byoung Su
• Application Number:
  US12/281,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20090058993A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/49
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/00 Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof

Abstract

A CMOS stereo camera for obtaining a three-dimensional image, in which two CMOS image sensors having the same characteristics are disposed on a single semiconductor substrate, is provided. The CMOS image sensors have image planes which are located on the same plane by disposing the two CMOS image sensors on the same semiconductor substrate. A digital signal processor (DSP) for processing a three-dimensional image is disposed between the CMOS image sensors. Optical axes of the CMOS image sensors are parallel with each other and orthogonal to the image planes. Since optical devices formed on the CMOS image sensors can be manufactured through the same processes, distortion of the optical axes between the two CMOS image sensors can be minimized.

Claims

1. A CMOS stereo camera for obtaining a three-dimensional image, the CMOS stereos camera comprising:

left and right lenses which receives light from a point source of light on the same plane;

left and right CMOS image sensors which are disposed on a single substrate under the left and right lenses; and

a DSP (digital signal processor) which is formed between the left and right CMOS image sensors to extract three-dimensional information of the point source of light by receiving images from the left and right CMOS image sensors through data buses.

2. The CMOS stereo camera according to claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional information is obtained by calculating a height of the point source of light by using displacements of image points of the left and right CMOS image sensors obtained by allowing light from the point source of light to form images on the left and right CMOS image sensors by passing through the left and right lenses.

3. The CMOS stereo camera according to claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional information is extracted in units of line of the left and right CMOS image sensors.

4. The CMOS stereo camera according to claim 3, wherein the three-dimensional information is extracted by using a plurality of lines in which displacements of image points of the left and right CMOS image sensors are the same with respect to any axis.

5. The CMOS stereo camera according to claim 4, wherein the number of the plurality of lines ranges from five to eight.

6. A CMOS stereo camera for obtaining a three-dimensional image, the CMOS stereo camera comprising:

at least three lenses which receives light from a point source of light on the same plane;

at least three CMOS image sensors which are disposed on a single substrate under the at least three lenses; and

a DSP (digital signal processor) which is formed among the at least three CMOS image sensors to extract three-dimensional information of the point source of light by receiving images from the at least three CMOS image sensors through data buses.

7. The CMOS stereo camera according to claim 6, wherein the three-dimensional information is obtained by calculating a height of the point source of light by using displacements of image points of the at least three CMOS image sensors obtained by allowing light from the point source of light to form images on the at least three CMOS image sensors by passing through the at least three lenses.

8. The CMOS stereo camera according to claim 6, wherein the three-dimensional information is extracted in units of line of the at least three CMOS image sensors.

9. The CMOS stereo camera according to claim 8, wherein the three-dimensional information is extracted by using a plurality of lines in which displacements of image points of the at least three CMOS image sensors are the same with respect to any axis.

10. The CMOS stereo camera according to claim 9, wherein the number of the plurality of lines ranges from five to eight.