IMAGING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE SAME, PORTABLE EQUIPMENT, AND IMAGING SENSOR AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE SAME

• US 20110141309A1
• Filed: 02/22/2011
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: IMADA, Katsumi, NAGASHIMA, Michiyoshi, NISHIWAKI, Seiji
• Granted Patent: US 8,218,032 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/222.1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/0055 employing a special optical element
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14625 Optical elements or arrangements associated with the device
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14627 Microlenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14685 Process for coatings or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2209/048 having several pick-up sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/15 Image signal generation with circuitry for avoiding or correcting image misregistration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/67 Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6845 by combination of a plurality of images sequentially taken
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/687 by shifting the lens or sensor position
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/134 based on three different wavelength filter elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/41 Extracting pixel data from a plurality of image sensors simultaneously picking up an image, e.g. for increasing the field of view by combining the outputs of a plurality of sensors

Abstract

A plurality of imaging regions are provided in one-to-one correspondence with a plurality of optical systems and are disposed on optical axes of the respective optical systems. Each imaging region has a plurality of pixels. The imaging apparatus further comprises an origin detecting means for detecting an origin of each imaging region, a pixel position specifying means for specifying positions of a plurality of pixels included in each imaging region using the origin as a reference, and a combination means for combining a plurality of images captured by the respective imaging regions. Thereby, it is possible to make a thin imaging apparatus capable of being easily assembled.

Claims

1-50. -50. (canceled)

51. A method for producing an imaging apparatus, comprising:

disposing a plurality of imaging regions in one-to-one correspondence with a plurality of optical systems, each of the imaging regions including a plurality of pixels arranged in a two-dimensional matrix,

the plurality of imaging regions being disposed in a matrix along a direction substantially parallel to an array direction of the plurality of pixels included in the imaging regions, and

each of the imaging regions being disposed on an optical axis of the respective optical systems on a one-to-one basis;

assigning respective origins of the respective imaging regions based on respective intersections of the respective optical axes of the respective optical systems and the respective imaging regions corresponding thereto without a movement of the origins and the imaging regions depending on a distance of a subject,

adjacent ones of the imaging regions being disposed such that a line connecting two of the assigned respective intersections of adjacent imaging regions disposed in the matrix is not parallel to the array direction of the plurality of pixels of at least one of the adjacent imaging regions; and

specifying positions of the plurality of pixels of the respective imaging regions using the respective origins as references.

52. The method according to claim 51, wherein a plurality of images of an object captured by using the plurality of optical systems and the plurality of imaging regions are used to assign the respective origins of the respective imaging regions, and the object is a substantially point light source provided at a substantially infinite distance.

53. The method according claim 52, wherein a position of a pixel having a largest light intensity of received light among the plurality of pixels included in the imaging regions is assigned as the origin.

54. The method according claim 52, wherein a light intensity is interpolated between adjacent pixels based on light intensities of light received by the plurality of pixels included in the imaging region to assign a position of a pixel having a largest light intensity as the origin.