Imaging device with blur reduction system including a primary array and at least one navigation array

• US 7,598,979 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2005
• Issued: 10/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aptina Imaging Corporation (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aptina Imaging Corporation (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Inventors: Cooper, Peter David, Trutna, William R. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, NGOC YEN T
• Application Number:
  US11/232,319
• Publication Number:
  US 20070064144A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,476 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 348/208.4
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6811 based on the image signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/685 performed by mechanical compensation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/00 Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof

Abstract

An imaging device having a lens focusing light from a selected scene within an optical footprint, and a substrate including a primary array and at least one navigation array which are positioned within the optical footprint. The primary array acquires a desired image of a portion of the selected scene during an integration period and the at least one navigation array acquires a series of images during the integration period, including a first and a second image having common features from the selected scene. A correlator determines location differences of the common features of the first and second images relative to the at least one navigation array and provides a displacement signal indicative of imaging device translation in two planar dimensions during an interval between the first and second images based on the location differences.

Claims

1. An imaging device comprising:

a lens configured to focus light from a selected scene within an optical footprint;

a substrate including;

a primary array configured to acquire a desired image corresponding to a portion of the selected scene during an integration period; and

at least one navigation array configured to acquire a series of images during the integration period including a first image and a second image having common features from the selected scene, wherein the imaging array and the at least one navigation array are positioned within the optical footprint;

a correlator configured to receive the series of images from the at least one navigation array, to determine location differences of the common features of the first and second images relative to the at least one navigation array, and to provide a displacement signal indicative of imaging device translation in two planar dimensions during an interval between the first and second images based on the location differences;

a compensator configured to opto-mechanically maintain one of;

a substantially fixed relationship or a constant movement indicative of a panning movement of the imaging device between the selected scene and the primary array based on the displacement signal;

a memory configured to store at least one of the series of images from the navigation array acquired during the integration period; and

a processor, coupled to the primary array and the memory and configured to generate a composite image from the desired image from the primary array and the at least one of the series of images stored in the memory.

2. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the primary array and at least one navigation array comprise separate arrays each having associated readout circuitry.

3. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein pixels of the at least one navigation array are readout at a rate that is from ten to one hundred times faster than pixels of the primary array.

4. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the at least one navigation array has a lower spatial resolution than the primary array.

5. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the at least one navigation array comprises a black and white array.

6. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the at least one navigation array includes a first navigation array configured to acquire a first series of images and a second navigation array configured to acquire a second series of images during the integration period, the first and second series each including a first image and a second image having the common features from the selected scene.

7. The imaging device of claim 6, wherein the correlator is configured to provide the displacement signal indicative of translation and rotation of the imaging device in the two planar dimensions based on location differences of the common features of the first and second images of the first series relative to the first navigation array and on location difference of the common features of the first and second images of the second series relative to the second navigation array.

8. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the at least one navigation comprises a subset of the primary array with each sharing common readout circuitry.

9. The imaging device of claim 8, wherein accumulated charges of each pixel of the at least one navigation array are readout during the integration period of the primary array and summed to form pixel values for corresponding pixels of the desired image.

10. The imaging device of claim 8, wherein only pixels in the primary array include color filters.

11. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the at least one navigation array comprises a plurality of navigation arrays positioned in the substrate within the optical footprint.

12. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the compensator comprises a moveable flexure stage on which the substrate is positioned.

13. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the compensator comprises a moveable lens positioned between the lens and the optical footprint.

14. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein:

the memory accumulates the data from the series of images from the navigation array acquired during the integration period; and

the processor generates the composite image from the image from the primary array and the accumulated data from the series of images stored in memory.

15. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein responsive to the imaging device capturing a panned image, the navigation array and correlator are configured to adjust a location of the common features of the first image as the imaging device pans across the scene to provide an adjusted displacement signal.

16. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the compensator adjusts both a position of the lens and a position of the substrate to maintain one of the substantially fixed relationship or the constant movement between the selected scene and the primary array.

17. A method of operating an imaging device receiving light from a selected scene within an optical footprint;

positioning a primary array and at least one navigation array on a common substrate within the optical footprint;

acquiring, with the primary array, a desired image of a portion of the selected scene during an integration period;

acquiring, with the at least one navigation array, a series of images during the integration period, the series including a first image and a second image having common features from the selected scene;

determining location differences of the common features of the first and second images relative to the at least one navigation array;

generating a displacement signal indicative of imaging device translation in two planar dimensions during an interval between the first and second images based on the determined location differences; and

opto-mechanically maintaining a substantially fixed relationship between the selected scene and the primary array based on the displacement signal;

storing, in a memory, at least one of the series of images from the navigation array acquired during the integration period; and

generating, by a processor, a composite image from the desired image from the primary array and the at least one of the series of images stored in memory.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the positioning of the primary array and the at least one navigation array includes positioning the primary array and the at least one navigation array as separate arrays on the substrate.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein a the positioning of the at least one navigation array includes positioning the at least one navigation array as a subset of the primary array.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the positioning of the at least one navigation array includes positioning a first navigation array and a second navigation array each acquiring during the integration period a series of images including a first image and a second image having the common features from the selected scene.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the determining of the location differences includes determining the location differences of the common features of the first and second images of a first series relative to the first navigation array and the location differences of the common features of the first and second images of a second series relative to the second navigation array.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the generating of the displacement signal based on the location differences includes generating the displacement signal indicative of imaging device translation and rotation in two planar dimensions.

23. An imaging device comprising:

means for receiving light from a selected scene;

means, on a substrate, for acquiring a desired image of a portion of the selected scene during an exposure period;

means, on the substrate, for acquiring a series of images during the exposure period, the series including a first image and a second image having common features from the selected scene;

means for determining location differences of the common features of the first and second images;

means for maintaining a substantially fixed relationship between the selected scene and the substrate based on the location differences;

means for storing at least one of the series of images from the navigation array acquired during the exposure period; and

means for generating a composite image from the desired image of the portion of the selected scene and the at least one of the series of stored images.

24. The imaging device of claim 23, including means for generating a displacement signal indicative of imaging device translation in two planar dimensions during an interval between the first and second images based on the location differences, wherein the maintaining of the substantially fixed relationship between the selected scene and the substrate is based on the displacement signal.