DEVICES AND METHODS FOR HIGH-RESOLUTION IMAGE AND VIDEO CAPTURE
First Claim
1. An imaging system comprising:
- a first image sensor array;
a first optical system configured to project a first image on the first image sensor array, the first optical system having a first zoom level;
a second image sensor array;
a second optical system configured to project a second image on the second image sensor array, the second optical system having a second zoom level;
wherein the second image sensor array and the second optical system are pointed in the same direction as the first image sensor array and the first optical system;
wherein the second zoom level is greater than the first zoom level such that the second image projected onto the second image sensor array is a zoomed-in portion of the first image projected on the first image sensor array; and
wherein the first image sensor array includes at least four megapixels; and
wherein the second image sensor array includes one-half or less than the number of pixels in the first image sensor array.
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Abstract
In various example embodiments, an imaging system and method are provided. In an embodiment, the system comprises a first image sensor array, a first optical system to project a first image on the first image sensor array, the first optical system having a first zoom level. A second optical system is to project a second image on a second image sensor array, the second optical system having a second zoom level. The second image sensor array and the second optical system are pointed in the same direction as the first image sensor array and the first optical system. The second zoom level is greater than the first zoom level such that the second image projected onto the second image sensor array is a zoomed in on portion of the first image projected on the first image sensor array. The first image sensor array may include at least four megapixels and the second image sensor array may include one-half or less than the number of pixels in the first image sensor array.
217 Citations
98 Claims
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1. An imaging system comprising:
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a first image sensor array; a first optical system configured to project a first image on the first image sensor array, the first optical system having a first zoom level; a second image sensor array; a second optical system configured to project a second image on the second image sensor array, the second optical system having a second zoom level; wherein the second image sensor array and the second optical system are pointed in the same direction as the first image sensor array and the first optical system; wherein the second zoom level is greater than the first zoom level such that the second image projected onto the second image sensor array is a zoomed-in portion of the first image projected on the first image sensor array; and wherein the first image sensor array includes at least four megapixels; and
wherein the second image sensor array includes one-half or less than the number of pixels in the first image sensor array. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. An imaging system comprising:
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a primary image sensor array; a primary optical system configured to project a primary image on the primary image sensor array, the primary optical system having a first zoom level; a plurality of secondary image sensor arrays; a secondary optical system for each of the secondary image sensor arrays, wherein each secondary optical system is configured to project a secondary image on a respective one of the secondary image sensor arrays, each of the secondary optical systems having a respective zoom level different than the first zoom level; wherein each of the secondary image sensor arrays and each of the secondary optical systems are pointed in the same direction as the primary image sensor array and the primary optical system; and wherein the primary image sensor array is larger than each of the secondary image sensor arrays. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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61. An imaging system comprising:
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a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of image sensor arrays, including a primary image sensor array and a plurality of secondary image sensor arrays; a plurality of optical systems, including at least one optical system for each image sensor array; wherein each of the optical systems has a different zoom level; each of the image sensor arrays including pixel circuitry formed on the substrate for reading an image signal from the respective image sensor array, wherein the pixel circuitry for each of the image sensor arrays includes switching circuitry; and a control circuit operatively coupled to the switching circuitry of each of the image sensor arrays. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86)
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87. An imaging system comprising:
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an image sensor comprising offset arrays of pixel electrodes to read out a signal from the image sensor, wherein the arrays of pixel electrodes are offset by less than the size of a pixel region of the image sensor; and circuitry configured to select one of the offset arrays of pixel electrodes to read out a signal from the image sensor. - View Dependent Claims (88)
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89. An imaging system comprising:
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a first image sensor array comprising offset arrays of pixel electrodes to read out a signal from the first image sensor array, wherein the arrays of pixel electrodes are offset by less than the size of a pixel region of the first image sensor; a second image sensor array; circuitry configured to select one of the offset arrays of pixel electrodes to read out a signal from the first image sensor array; and circuitry to read out image data from the first image sensor array and the second image sensor array. - View Dependent Claims (90, 91, 92)
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93. A method of generating an image from an image sensor system, the method comprising:
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reading out a first image from a first image sensor array from a first set of locations corresponding to pixel regions of the first image sensor array; and reading out a second image from the first image sensor array from a second set of locations corresponding to pixel regions of the first image sensor array. - View Dependent Claims (94)
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95. A method of generating an image from an image sensor system, the method comprising:
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reading out a first image from a first image sensor array from a first set of locations corresponding to pixel regions of the first image sensor array; reading out a second image from the first image sensor array from a second set of locations corresponding to pixel regions of the first image sensor array; reading out a third image from a second image sensor array; and using the first image, the second image, and the third image to select either the first set of locations or the second set of locations for reading out a subsequent image from the first image sensor array. - View Dependent Claims (96, 97, 98)
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Specification