Apparatus Method and System for Imaging

• US 20100194862A1
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jungo Connectivity Ltd. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Xtrextreme Reality
• Inventors: Givon, Dor
• Granted Patent: US 8,462,199 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/49
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/268 Holographic stereogram
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2210/42 from real object, e.g. using 3D scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2210/441 Numerical processing applied to the object data other than numerical propagation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/204 using stereoscopic image cameras stereoscopic photography G03B35/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/218 using spatial multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/257 Colour aspects

Abstract

There is provided in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention an optical assembly including a set of optical paths, wherein two or more optical paths receive an image from a common surface. The optical paths may direct received images onto a common image sensor generating a complex multidimensional data set, an image processing block may extrapolate each of the subset of optical paths printed on the image sensor and may generate a multidimensional data set based on the collected images.

Claims

1. An apparatus for acquiring an image comprising:

a set of optical paths, each of which may include a lens, a mirror and a diaphragm structure, wherein each of the subset of the set of optical paths is adapted to collect optical image information from a common surface.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the subset of optical paths is further adapted to direct onto a respective area of a common camera image sensor, collected optical image information.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a first respective area associated with a first received image overlaps with a second respective area associated with a second received image.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first and second respective areas substantially overlap.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an optical processing block adapted to generate a complex multidimensional data set to be printed on the camera image sensor.

6. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a digital processing block adapted to extrapolate each of the subset of optical paths printed on the camera image sensor.

7. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a digital processing block adapted to generate a digital multidimensional data set from data produced by the camera image sensor.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising an extrapolation block adapted to extrapolate image data from the multidimensional data set.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the image data extrapolated from the multidimensional data set is of an image type selected from the group consisting of depth map, virtual view point image, stereo image, hologram and holographic stereogram.

10. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said optical processing block is further adapted to record a non coherent or partially coherent light holographic stereogram on a single camera image sensor.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said optical processing block is further adapted to reconstruct a non-coherent or partially-coherent light holographic stereogram.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said collected optical image information from a common surface may be used to gather a user'"'"'s own three dimensional movements or three dimensional position.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the information of the user'"'"'s own three dimensional movements or three dimensional position enables a three dimensional Human Machine Interface.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the three dimensional Human Machine Interface can be a Real-Time-Interface or a Non-Real-Time-Interface.

15. A method for acquiring an image comprising:

directing onto a respective area of a common camera image sensor an image received by each of two or more optical paths of a common surface.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein a first respective area associated with a first received image overlaps with a second respective area associated with a second received image.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the first and second respective areas substantially overlap.

18. The method according to claim 15, further comprising an optical processing block adapted to generate a complex multidimensional data set to be printed on the camera image sensor.

19. The method according to claim 15, further comprising extrapolation of each of a subset of optical paths printed on the image sensor.

20. The method according to claim 15, further comprising generating a digital multidimensional data set from data produced by the camera image sensor.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising extrapolating image data from the multidimensional data set.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the image data extrapolated from the multidimensional data set is of an image type selected from the group consisting of depth map, virtual view point image, stereo image, hologram and holographic stereogram.

23. The method according to claim 18, wherein said optical processing block is further adapted to record a non-coherent or partially-coherent light holographic stereogram on a single camera image sensor.

24. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said optical processing block is further adapted to reconstruct a non-coherent or partially-coherent light holographic stereogram.

25. The method according to claim 15, wherein said directing onto a respective area of a common camera image sensor may be used to gather information relating to a user'"'"'s own three dimensional movements or three dimensional position.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the information relating to the user'"'"'s own three dimensional movements or three dimensional position enables a Three Dimensional Human Machine Interface.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the three dimensional Human Machine Interface can be a Real-Time-Interface or a Non-Real-Time-interface.