Apparatus and method for capturing still images and video using coded lens imaging techniques
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for coding images comprising:
- a light-sensitive sensor configured to detect visible light representing a scene;
a coded lens array including a plurality of lenses arranged in a first dimension and a second dimension and coupled together to form a two dimensional coded pattern cyclically repeated at least once in both dimensions,a plurality of baffles arranged in front of or behind each lens of the plurality of lenses to establish a maximum angle at which visible light of the scene can pass through the coded lens array and reach the light-sensitive sensor, the baffles causing baffle attenuation resulting in a different level of intensity of the visible light at different regions of the light-sensitive sensor;
wherein the coded pattern is arranged to cause an overlapping of images projected from lenses onto the light-sensitive sensor;
an analog to digital converter electrically coupled to the light sensitive sensor, the A/D converter to convert an analog signal representing visible light detected by the light-sensitive sensor to a digital signal; and
an image reconstruction processor to process the digital signal and generate a reconstructed image of the scene, the reconstruction processor including program code and/or circuitry to compensate for the baffle attenuation by adjusting intensity at different regions of the reconstructed image.
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Abstract
An apparatus for capturing images. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises: a coded lens array including a plurality of lenses arranged in a coded pattern and with opaque material blocking array elements that do not contain lenses; and a light-sensitive semiconductor sensor coupled to the coded lens array and positioned at a specified distance behind the coded lens array, the light-sensitive sensor configured to sense light transmitted through the lenses in the coded lens array.
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Citations
46 Claims
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1. An apparatus for coding images comprising:
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a light-sensitive sensor configured to detect visible light representing a scene; a coded lens array including a plurality of lenses arranged in a first dimension and a second dimension and coupled together to form a two dimensional coded pattern cyclically repeated at least once in both dimensions, a plurality of baffles arranged in front of or behind each lens of the plurality of lenses to establish a maximum angle at which visible light of the scene can pass through the coded lens array and reach the light-sensitive sensor, the baffles causing baffle attenuation resulting in a different level of intensity of the visible light at different regions of the light-sensitive sensor; wherein the coded pattern is arranged to cause an overlapping of images projected from lenses onto the light-sensitive sensor; an analog to digital converter electrically coupled to the light sensitive sensor, the A/D converter to convert an analog signal representing visible light detected by the light-sensitive sensor to a digital signal; and an image reconstruction processor to process the digital signal and generate a reconstructed image of the scene, the reconstruction processor including program code and/or circuitry to compensate for the baffle attenuation by adjusting intensity at different regions of the reconstructed image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An apparatus method for coding images comprising:
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a light-sensitive sensor configured to detect visible light representing a scene; a plurality of lenses arranged in a two dimensional coded pattern over a first dimension and a second dimension, the coded pattern cyclically repeated at least once in both dimensions to cause an overlapping of images projected from lenses onto the light-sensitive sensor; a plurality of baffles arranged in front of or behind each lens of the plurality of lenses to limit a field of view (FOV) of the scene to be equal to or greater than a fully-coded FOV projected onto the light-sensitive sensor, the baffles causing baffle attenuation resulting in a different level of intensity of the visible light at different regions of the light-sensitive sensor; an analog to digital converter electrically coupled to the light sensitive sensor, the A/D converter to convert an analog signal representing visible light detected by the light-sensitive sensor to a digital signal; and an image reconstruction processor to process the digital signal and generate a reconstructed image of the scene, the reconstruction processor including program code and/or circuitry to compensate for baffle attenuation by adjusting intensity at different regions of the image. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An apparatus comprising:
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a light-sensitive sensor configured to detect visible light representing a scene; and a coded lens array including a first plurality of lenses arranged in a two dimensional coded pattern over a first dimension and a second dimension and cyclically repeated at least once in both dimensions, wherein the coded pattern is arranged to cause an overlapping of images projected from lenses onto the light-sensitive sensor means; a plurality of baffles arranged in front of or behind each lens of the plurality of lenses; a second plurality of lenses arranged within the plurality of baffles, each of the second plurality of lenses configured to translate back and forth along an optical axis defined by each of the first plurality of lenses; an analog to digital converter electrically coupled to the light sensitive sensor, the A/D converter to convert an analog signal representing visible light detected by the light-sensitive sensor to a digital signal; and an image reconstruction processor to process the digital signal and generate a reconstructed image of the scene. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. An apparatus for coding images comprising:
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a light-sensitive sensor configured to detect visible light representing a scene; and a plurality of lenses arranged into a two dimensional coded pattern over a first dimension and a second dimension, the coded pattern cyclically repeated in both dimensions, wherein the coded pattern is arranged to cause an overlapping of images projected from lenses onto the light-sensitive sensors; an analog to digital converter electrically coupled to the light sensitive sensor, the A/D converter to convert an analog signal representing visible light detected by the light-sensitive sensor to a digital signal; an image sensor readout subsystem electrically coupled to the A/D converter and the light-sensitive sensor, the image sensor readout subsystem to dynamically adjust zero offset and gain applied to pixel values read from the light-sensitive sensor by performing the operations of; selecting an initial zero offset value and an initial gain value; determining whether any pixel values output from the A/D converter have a zero value and, if so, then decreasing a current zero offset value by a zero offset step value; and determining whether any pixel values output from the A/D converter have a maximum output value and, if so, then decreasing a current gain value by a gain step value. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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Specification