METHODS OF MANUFACTURING A CAMERA SYSTEM HAVING MULTIPLE IMAGE SENSORS

• US 20120113266A1
• Filed: 04/06/2010
• Published: 05/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nextvision Stabilized Systems Limited
• Original Assignee: Nextvision Stabilized Systems Limited
• Inventors: Golan, Chen, Kipnis, Boris
• Application Number:
  US13/263,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20120113266A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/159
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/682 Vibration or motion blur correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/683 performed by a processor, e.g. controlling the readout of an image memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/687 by shifting the lens or sensor position
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/695 Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A method of manufacturing an image sensor from two defective image sensor arrays having identical structural design, each having substantially the same field of view and aligned to view substantially the same scene. The method includes providing a first defective image sensor array, having known defective pixels, providing a second defective image sensor array, having known defective pixels, and fusing the first image sensor array and the second image sensor array into a single output image array.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an image sensor from two defective image sensor arrays having identical structural design, each having substantially the same field of view (FOV) and aligned to view substantially the same scene, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a first defective image sensor array, having known defective pixels;

b) providing a second defective image sensor array, having known defective pixels; and

c) fusing said first image sensor array and said second image sensor array into a single output image array,

wherein for each of said defective pixels of said first image sensor array the respective pixel from said second image sensor array is selected to be an output pixel of said output image array;

wherein for each of said defective pixels of said second image sensor array the respective pixel from said first image sensor array is selected to be an output pixel of said output image array; and

wherein for each valid pixel in said first image sensor array having a respective valid pixel in said second image sensor array, either of said respective valid pixels is selected to be an output pixel of said output image array.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein said first defective image sensor array and said second defective image sensor array have no overlapping defective pixels.

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein said first defective image sensor array and said second defective image sensor array have overlapping defective pixels, and wherein the method further comprises the step of:

d) for each of said overlapping defective pixels, setting the value of a corresponding final output pixel in said output image array to be the average of the K immediately adjacent neighboring pixels of said overlapping defective pixel, in said output image array.

4. The method as in claim 3, wherein K=4.

5. The method as in claim 3, wherein K=8.

6. A computerized image acquisition system comprising:

a) a first image sensor array having defective pixels;

b) a second image sensor array having defective pixels; and

c) an image fusion module,

wherein said first image sensor array and said second image sensor array have substantially the same FOV and are aligned to view substantially the same scene;

wherein for each of said defective pixels of said first image sensor array, said image fusion module selects the respective pixel from said second image sensor array to be a corresponding output pixel of an output image array;

wherein for each of said defective pixels of said second image sensor array, said image fusion module selects the respective pixel from said first image sensor array to be a corresponding output pixel of said output image array; and

wherein for each valid pixel in said first image sensor array having a respective valid pixel in said second image sensor array, said image fusion module averages said valid pixel in said first image and said valid pixel in said second image and assigns said average to a corresponding output pixel of said output image array.

7. The system as in claim 6, wherein said first defective image sensor array and said second defective image sensor array have no overlapping defective pixels.

8. The system as in claim 6, wherein said first defective image sensor array and said second defective image sensor array have overlapping defective pixels, and wherein said image fusion module, for each of said overlapping defective pixels, sets the value of a corresponding final output pixel in said output image array to be the average of the K immediately adjacent neighboring pixels of said overlapping defective pixel, in said output image array.

9. The system as in claim 8, wherein K=4.

10. The system as in claim 8, wherein K=8.

11. The system as in claim 8, wherein said defective pixels are partially defective pixels, having partial light energy sensitivity, and wherein said image fusion module computes a weighted average of said partially defective pixels, wherein said weight is directly proportional to said partial light energy sensitivity of each of said partially defective pixels;

and assigns said weighted average to said output pixel.