IMAGING DEVICES HAVING ARRAYS OF IMAGE SENSORS AND PRECISION OFFSET LENSES

• US 20120274811A1
• Filed: 07/20/2011
• Published: 11/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries LLC (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries LLC (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Inventors: Bakin, Dmitry
• Application Number:
  US13/187,237
• Publication Number:
  US 20120274811A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/239
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14621 Colour filter arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14627 Microlenses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/15 Image signal generation with circuitry for avoiding or correcting image misregistration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/16 Optical arrangements associated therewith, e.g. for beam-splitting or for colour correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• 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

Electronic devices may include array cameras having lens arrays, an corresponding color filter arrays, and corresponding image sensor arrays. Lenses in lens arrays may be aligned with positions on associated image sensors other than the centers of the associated image sensors. Lens arrays may include one or more layers of lenses formed by compression molding of transparent materials such as plastic. Lens arrays may be mounted directly onto integrated circuit dies on which the image sensor arrays are formed. Color filter arrays may include one or more red filters, one or more green filters and one or more blue filters. Offsetting the centers of lenses with respect to the centers of associated image sensors may allow capture of spatially offset single-color images by the image sensors. Spatially offset single-color images may be combined into super-resolution images using the processing circuitry.

Claims

1. A camera module, comprising:

an array of lenses each having a center;

an array of color filters; and

an array of images sensors each of which receives image light from a corresponding one of the lenses through a corresponding one of the color filters, wherein each image sensor has a center and a plurality of image pixels having a common maximum lateral image pixel dimension, wherein the center of at least one of the lenses in the array of lenses is laterally offset from the center of the corresponding image sensor that receives the image light from that lens, wherein the lateral offset of the at least one of the lenses has a magnitude and a direction, and wherein the magnitude of the lateral offset is smaller than the common maximum lateral image pixel dimension.

2. The camera module defined in claim 1 wherein the magnitude of the lateral offset is larger than one eighth of the common maximum lateral image pixel dimension.

3. The camera module defined in claim 2 wherein the center of at least an additional one of the lenses in the array of lenses is laterally offset from the center of the corresponding image sensor that receives the image light from that additional one of the lenses in a direction that is different from the direction of the lateral offset of at the least one of the lenses.

4. The camera module defined in claim 3 further comprising a cover layer mounted on the array of color filters.

5. The camera module defined in claim 4 wherein the array of lenses comprises first, second, and third layers of lenses, wherein each image sensor of the array of image sensors receives the image light from a corresponding one of the lenses of the first layer of lenses through a corresponding one of the lenses of the second layer of lenses and through a corresponding one of lenses of the third layer of lenses.

6. The camera module defined in claim 5 wherein the first layer of lenses is formed from a first molded lens structure, wherein the second layer of lenses is formed from a second molded lens structure, and wherein the third layer of lenses is formed from a third molded lens structure.

7. The camera module defined in claim 6 wherein each image sensor in the array of image sensors comprises:

a plurality of microlenses that focus light onto the plurality of image pixels; and

a color filter interposed between the plurality of image pixels and the plurality of microlenses that passes a single color of light.

8. A camera module, comprising:

an array of image sensors formed on a common integrated circuit die; and

a first layer of lenses mounted to the common integrated circuit die using a plurality of housing structures and a spacer-buffer structure, wherein the spacer-buffer structure separates the image sensors of the array of image sensors from each other.

9. The camera module defined in claim 8, further comprising a second layer of lenses mounted on the first layer of lenses using the plurality of housing structures and at least one spacer structure.

10. The camera module defined in claim 9, further comprising a third layer of lenses mounted on the second layer of lenses using the plurality of housing structures and at least one additional spacer structure.

11. The camera module defined in claim 10 further comprising:

a cover layer mounted on the third layer of lenses using the plurality of housing structures; and

an array of color filters interposed between the cover layer and the third layer of lenses, wherein each of the image sensors receives image light from a corresponding one of the lenses in each of the first, second, and third layers of lenses, through a corresponding one of the color filters.

12. The camera module defined in claim 11 wherein the first, second, and third layers of lenses comprise first, second, and third molded lens structures respectively.

13. The camera module defined in claim 12 wherein the first, second, and third molded lens structures are formed from the same material.

14. The camera module defined in claim 13 wherein the second layer of lenses has opposing top and bottom sides, wherein the first layer of lenses is mounted on the bottom side and wherein the bottom side of the second layer of lenses is substantially planar.

15. The camera module defined in claim 14 wherein each lens of the first layer of lenses has a center, wherein each of the image sensors has a center, and wherein the center of at least one of the lenses of the first layer of lenses is laterally offset from the center of the corresponding image sensor that receives image light from that lens.

16. The camera module defined in claim 15 wherein each lens in the second layer of lenses is substantially aligned with a corresponding one of the lenses in the first layer of lenses and with a corresponding one of the lenses in the third layer of lenses.

17. A method for capturing super-resolution images with an electronic device having processing circuitry and a camera module with an array of image sensors each of which has a corresponding offset lens stack and a corresponding color filter comprising:

with each image sensor, capturing a single-color, spatially-offset image having a common pixel size; and

with the processing circuitry, combining the single-color, spatially-offset images to form a super-resolution image having a pixel size that is smaller than the common pixel size of the single-color, spatially-offset images.

18. The method defined in claim 17 wherein the array of image sensors comprises four image sensors, wherein the corresponding color filters include a red color filter, a blue color filter and two green color filters and wherein capturing the single-color, spatially-offset image with each image sensor comprises capturing a red image, a blue image, and first and second green images.

19. The method defined in claim 18 further comprising:

with the processing circuitry, generating a grid of pixels having pixel sizes that are smaller than the common pixel size of the single-color, spatially-offset images.

20. The method defined in claim 19 wherein the offset lens stacks are configured to spatially offset the single-color, spatially-offset images and wherein combining the single-color, spatially-offset images to form a super-resolution image comprises:

with the processing circuitry, assigning each pixel in the grid of pixels a value corresponding to an associated value of an overlapping pixel in a selected one of the single-color, spatially-offset images.