Optical elements, related manufacturing methods and assemblies incorporating optical elements

• US 7,321,112 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2004
• Issued: 01/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Stam, Joseph S., Bechtel, Jon H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps; Georgia
• Assistant Examiner(s): Livedalen; Brian J
• Application Number:
  US10/921,076
• Publication Number:
  US 20050041313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• Field of Search: 250/216, 250/226, 348/267, 359/615, 359/619
• US Class Current: 250/216
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1013 for colour or multispectral image sensors, e.g. splitting an image into monochromatic image components on respective sensors spectral imaging systems G01J
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1066 for enhancing image performance, like resolution, pixel numbers, dual magnifications or dynamic range, by tiling, slicing or overlapping fields of view
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/123 The splitting element being a lens or a system of lenses, including arrays and surfaces with refractive power
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/126 The splitting element being a prism or prismatic array, including systems based on total internal reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0006 Arrays G02B3/02, G02B5/188 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14621 Colour filter arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14625 Optical elements or arrangements associated with the device
• 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

The present invention relates to various optical elements, related manufacturing methods and systems incorporating the optical elements. In at least one embodiment an optical element is provided that improves a vision systems capability to accurately measure a spectral characteristic of a distant light source.

Claims

1. A vehicle system, comprising:

at least one lens configured for light sensing applications and further configured to project first oriented light rays associated with a scene through a lens element, said lens element is configured to split said first oriented light rays to form two or more spatially dispersed images of the scene on an image plane of an image sensor, wherein said image sensor comprises an array of pixels, and wherein centers of said at least two spatially dispersed images are vertically and, or, horizontally misaligned by a spacing corresponding to a size of one pixel.

2. A vehicle system as in claim 1 wherein at least one patterned spectral filter is positioned between said lens element and said image sensor.

3. A vehicle system as in claim 2 wherein said spectral filter defines one of a group of patterns comprising:

a checkerboard pattern, an RGB pattern, a Bayer pattern and a striped pattern.

4. A vehicle system as in claim 2 wherein said two or more spatially dispersed images are configured as a function of said patterned spectral filter.

5. A vehicle system as in claim 2 wherein said spectral filter comprises at least one color selected from a group comprising:

red, cyan, blue, green, blue-green, amber, infrared and ultra violet.

6. A vehicle system as in claim 1 wherein said lens element is configured to split said first oriented light rays to form three or more spatially dispersed images.

7. A vehicle system as in claim 1 wherein said lens element is configured to split said first oriented light rays to form four or more spatially dispersed images.

8. A vehicle system as in claim 1 wherein said two or more spatially dispersed images are linearly aligned.

9. A vehicle system as in claim 1 wherein said two or more spatially dispersed images define a checkerboard pattern with respect to one another.

10. A vehicle system, comprising:

a lens configured to project light rays associated with a scene upon an image plane of an imager sensor such that at least three substantially similar, spatially dispersed images of the scene are defined at said image plane, wherein said image sensor comprises an array of pixels, at least one spectral filter is positioned between said lens and said image sensor, said spectral filter having one of an RGB pattern and a Bayer pattern, the pattern comprising a plurality of smallest unit arrays, and wherein said at least three spatially dispersed images are vertically and, or, horizontally misaligned from one another by a spacing corresponding to less than a spacing at which said smallest unit arrays repeat.

11. A vehicle system as in claim 10 wherein said spectral filter comprises at least one color selected from a group comprising:

red, cyan, blue, green, blue-green, amber, infrared and ultra violet.

12. A vehicle system, comprising:

a lens configured to project light rays associated with a scene upon an image plane of an image sensor such that at least two substantially similar, spatially dispersed images of the scene are defined at said image plane, wherein said image sensor comprises an array of pixels, at least one striped spectral filter is positioned between said lens and said image sensor, said spectral filter having different colored stripes, and said lens is further configured such that said at least two substantially similar spatially dispersed images are vertically and, or, horizontally misaligned by a spacing corresponding to a width of one stripe of said spectral filter.

13. A vehicle system as in claim 12 wherein said spectral filter comprises at least one color selected from a group comprising:

red, cyan, blue, green, blue-green, amber, infrared and ultra violet.

14. A vehicle system as in claim 12 wherein said spatially dispersed images are linearly aligned.

15. A vehicle system as in claim 12 configured to function as at least one of an automatic exterior light control system, a moisture sensing system, a windshield wiper control, a defroster control, a defogger control, a lane departure detection system, a lane departure warning system, a security system, a vision system, a rear vision system, an occupancy detection system, a monitoring system, a collision avoidance system, an accident recreation system and an image acquisition system.

16. A vehicle system, comprising:

an optical element configured to project light rays associated with a scene through a lens element, said lens element is configured to split said light rays to form two or more spatially dispersed images of the scene upon an image plane of an image sensor; and

a patterned spectral filter positioned between said light rays and said image sensor and patterned so as to pass different predetermined spectral bands in each of a plurality of smallest unit array, said optical element is further configured to direct said light rays such that substantially all of the light rays passing through a predetermined spectral band of said patterned spectral filter impose upon only a desired pixel or pixels, wherein said optical element is associated with at least two pixels and said at least two spatially dispersed images are vertically and, or, horizontally misaligned by a spacing corresponding to less than one of said smallest unit arrays.

18. A vehicle system as in claim 16 wherein said image sensor comprises an array of pixels.

20. A vehicle system as in claim 18 wherein said patterned spectral filter defines one of a group of patterns comprising:

a checkerboard pattern, a RGB pattern, a Bayer pattern and a striped pattern.

21. A vehicle system as in claim 18 wherein two or more stratified images are defined as a function of said patterned spectral filter.

22. A vehicle system as in claim 18 wherein said spectral filter comprises at least one color selected from a group comprising:

red, cyan, blue, green, blue-green, amber, infrared and ultra violet.

23. A vehicle system as in claim 16 wherein said optical element is configured to split said first oriented light rays to form three or more stratified images.

24. A vehicle system as in claim 16 wherein said optical element is configured to split said first oriented light rays to form four or more stratified images.

25. A vehicle system as in claim 16 wherein two or more stratified images are linearly defined.

26. A vehicle system as in claim 16 wherein two or more spatially dispersed images define a checkerboard pattern with respect to one another.

17. A vehicle system comprising:

anoptical element configured to profect light rays associated with a scene through a lens element, said lens element is configured to split said light rays to form two or more spatially dispersed images of the scene upon an image plane of an image sensor; and

a patterned spectral filter positioned between said light rays and said image sensor, said optical element is further configured to direct said light rays such that substantially all of the light rays passing through a predetermined spectral band of said patterned spectral filter impose upon only a desired pixel or pixels, wherein said optical element is associated with at least two pixels and at least one of said at least two spatially dispersed images of the scene comprises at least two vertically and, or, horizontally misaligned segments,

wherein substantially all light rays are redirected such that light ray incidence angles at a plane defined by said patterned spectral filter are less than an angle defined by an adjacent side comprising a length equal to the perpendicular distance from said patterned spectral filter to a passivation plane defined by an active pixel surface and an opposite side comprising a length equal to a parallel distance from an edge of a pixel to a closest active pixel surface.

19. A vehicle system as in claim 17 wherein said at least one patterned spectral filter is positioned between said lens element and said image sensor.