Apparatus and method for capturing digital images

• US 20090316014A1
• Filed: 02/24/2009
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kang, Joo-Young, Park, Byung-Kwan, Lee, Seong-deok, Ok, Hyun-wook, Lim, Jae-guyn, Hwang, Young-kyoo
• Granted Patent: US 8,427,548 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/222.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof

Abstract

An apparatus and method for capturing digital images are provided. The digital capturing apparatus includes an image pickup unit obtaining light field data to change a view of a captured image and refocus the captured image, and a data processor generating a refocusing image using the light field data, wherein the image pickup unit performs optical modulation on light beams to obtain light field data of the modulated light beams so that the light beams are identified when two or more of the light beams overlap, and the data processor demodulates the light field data to obtain light field data of the light beams not subjected to the optical modulation.

Claims

1. A digital image capturing apparatus, comprising:

an image pickup unit obtaining light field data to change a view of a captured image and refocus the captured image; and

a data processor generating a refocusing image using the light field data,

wherein the image pickup unit performs optical modulation on light beams to obtain light field data of the modulated light beams so that the light beams are individually identified when two or more of the light beams overlap, and the data processor demodulates the light field data to obtain demodulated light field data of the light beams not subjected to the optical modulation.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a main lens;

a modulator performing the optical modulation on the light beams;

a photo sensor array capturing the light beams; and

a microlens array disposed between the main lens and the photo sensor array,

wherein the microlens array orients light beams collected from the main lens toward the photo sensor array through the microlens array.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the modulator is a 2-dimensional orthogonal mask for modulating the light beams using two or more orthogonal functions.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the modulator includes a pattern for adjusting transmission of the light beams.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein each microlens included in the microlens array overlap at least two light beams subjected to optical modulation on a pixel of the photo sensor array.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the data processor demodulates the light field data obtained by the optical modulation, using the two or more orthogonal functions.

7. A method of capturing digital images, comprising:

performing optical modulation on light beams so that the light beams are individually identified when two or more of the light beams overlap;

obtaining light field data of the modulated light beams to refocus an image represented by the modulated light beams;

demodulating the light field data and generating demodulated light field data of the light beams not subjected to the optical modulation; and

generating a refocused image using the generated light field data.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the performing of the optical modulation comprises performing the optical modulation through a 2-dimensional orthogonal mask using two or more orthogonal functions.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the 2-dimensional orthogonal mask includes a pattern for adjusting transmission of the light beams.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the demodulation of the light field data comprises demodulating the light field data of the modulated light beams using the two or more orthogonal functions.