Imaging device and image capture device

• US 20090244298A1
• Filed: 03/24/2009
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science And Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hong Kong Applied Science And Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lam, Sio Kuan, Fan, Kin Ming, Cheng, Kwok Sing, Fan, Wing Ming, Liu, Tiegang
• Application Number:
  US12/383,412
• Publication Number:
  US 20090244298A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/208.400
• 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 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6811 based on the image signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/685 performed by mechanical compensation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/144 Movement detection for video coding H04N19/503; analysis of motion in general G06T7/20

Abstract

The invention discloses a imaging device, comprising an imaging module, used for optical to electrical signal conversion, which comprises at least a first imaging unit and a second imaging unit, the first imaging unit used for capturing an image, the second imaging unit used for detecting the movement of the image or the imaging device; a control and processing module, used for controlling the imaging module to output electrical signals, and for processing the electrical signal to generate and to output the motion signal and image signal. The invention also discloses an image capture device which uses the said imaging device. The imaging device can output the motion signal and the image signal simultaneously by adding the second imaging unit used for detecting the movement of the image or the imaging device; consequently better captured image quality can be obtained. Also, the structure can become simpler and the manufacture cost can be lower.

Claims

1. An imaging device comprising:

an imaging module, used for optical to electrical signal conversion, which comprises at least one first imaging unit and one second imaging unit, wherein said first imaging unit used for capturing the image and the said second imaging unit used for detecting the movement of the image or said imaging device;

a control and processing module, used for controlling the said imaging module to output an electrical signal, and for processing the electrical signal to generate and to output a motion signal and an image signal.

2. An imaging device according to claim 1, wherein said first imaging unit comprises one imaging pixel array for capturing the image signal, and said second imaging unit comprises one or more imaging pixel sub-arrays;

said imaging pixel sub-arrays are all used for capturing the motion signal, or all used for capturing the motion signal and the image signal simultaneously, or said second imaging unit comprises one second imaging pixel sub-array used for capturing the motion signal and another second imaging pixel sub-array used for capturing the motion signal and the image signal simultaneously.

3. An imaging device according to claim 1, wherein said first imaging unit and said second imaging unit are implemented in one imaging pixel array;

and the imaging pixel array is divided into many regions, one region thereof is used for capturing the image signal, and other regions are used for capturing the motion signal, or all regions are used for capturing the motion signal and the image signal simultaneously;

or the imaging pixel array comprises one region for capturing the motion signal and another region for capturing the motion signal and the image signal simultaneously.

4. An imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the said control and processing module comprises:

an image processing unit, used for processing the electrical signal outputted by said first imaging unit to generate the electrical signal of the image;

a motion detection unit, used for processing the electrical signal outputted by the said second imaging unit to generate the electrical signal of the motion; and

a control unit, used for controlling said first imaging unit, said second imaging unit, said image processing unit and said motion detection unit to work corporately.

5. An imaging device according to one of the claims 1-4, wherein said first imaging unit and said second imaging unit are set closely in the surface of the same imaging chip.

6. An imaging device according to one of the claims 1-4, wherein the sampling frame rate of said first imaging unit is lower than the sampling frame rate of said second imaging unit.

7. An imaging device according to one of the claims 1-4, wherein the pixel size and pixel amount of said first imaging unit and said second imaging unit is the same or different.

8. An image capturing device, comprises:

an imaging module, used for optical to electrical signal conversion, which at least comprises a first imaging unit and a second imaging unit, the second imaging unit is used for detecting the movement of the image or said image capture device, said first imaging unit is used for capturing an image;

a control and processing module, used for controlling said imaging module to output an electrical signal, processing the said electrical signal to generate and output a motion signal and an image signal;

a lens unit, used to produce an image of the photographed object at said imaging module; and

an execution module, used for executing said lens unit to carry out a relevant movement in response to the said motion signal and the image signal.

9. An image capture device according to claim 8, wherein the execution module comprises an execution control unit and a three dimensions execution mechanism, said execution control unit is used for sending out a motion control instruction according to the motion signal and image signal, said three dimensions execution mechanism is used for driving the object being executed to move in three dimensions according to the motion control instruction.

10. An image capture device according to claim 9, wherein the motion control instruction is the control instruction for controlling the movement of said lens unit to realize the anti-shake compensation.

11. An image capture device according to one of the claims 8-10, wherein said first imaging unit and said second imaging unit are set closely in the surface of the same imaging chip.

12. An image capture device according to one of the claims 8-10, wherein the sampling frame rate of said first imaging unit is lower than the sampling frame rate of said second imaging unit.

13. An image capture device according to one of the claims 8-10, wherein the pixel size and pixel amount of said first imaging unit and said second imaging unit is the same or different.