Method for high resolution incremental imaging

• US 7,233,351 B1
• Filed: 02/23/2001
• Issued: 06/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NextPat Limited
• Original Assignee: NextEngine, Inc.
• Inventors: Agabra, David S., Knighton, Mark S., McKinley, William D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho; Tuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Whipkey; Jason
• Application Number:
  US09/792,753
• Time in Patent Office: 2,307 Days
• Field of Search: 348/142, 348/36, 348/37, 348/239
• US Class Current: 348/239
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/959 by adjusting depth of field during image capture, e.g. maximising or setting range based on scene characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 3/08 having a moving reflector

Abstract

A method and apparatus to capture a high resolution photograph of a target. A focal zone of a linear image sensing array is displaced across an area containing a target to be photographed. The displacement may be angular or linear with appropriate scaling to yield the end photograph. By changing the focal depth, relief of the target may be fully focused in one or more passes.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

acquiring depth data about a target;

determining from the depth data a number of images at an available depth of field required to achieve acceptable focus of the target;

capturing images of the target at successive depths until the number of images has been captured; and

combining data from the images to form a composite image which has a greater percentage of total area at an acceptable focus than any single image.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein combining comprises:

analyzing corresponding regions of pixels from the images captured at the number of depths; and

selecting pixels from the corresponding region having a greatest clarity to be a pixel of the composite image.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein combining comprises:

identifying from the depth data, regions likely to have acceptable focus in an image captured at a particular depth; and

assembling pixels from the identified regions to form the composite image.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein acquiring comprises:

conducting an initial scan of the target to capture depth data.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein capturing is performed using a linear image sensing array.

6. A method comprising:

acquiring depth data about a target including accessing a data file containing information about the target;

determining from the depth data a number of images at an available depth of field required to achieve acceptable focus of the target;

capturing images of the target at successive depths until the number of images has been captured; and

combining data from the images to form a composite image which as a greater percentage of total area at an acceptable focus than any single image.