Integrated display and capture apparatus

• US 7,714,923 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2006
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Kurtz, Andrew F., Border, John N., Cok, Ronald S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Sinh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Negron; Wanda M
• Application Number:
  US11/555,819
• Publication Number:
  US 20080106628A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,286 Days
• Field of Search: 348/14.16
• US Class Current: 348/333.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/144 camera and display on the same optical axis, e.g. optically multiplexing the camera and display for eye to eye contact

Abstract

An integrated imaging apparatus for displaying images while capturing images of a scene, including an electronic display having an array of display pixels which are used to display image content; at least one image capture device which captures an image, wherein the image capture device having at least an imaging lens and an image sensor array; and wherein the image capture device looks through an aperture in the display, the aperture having at least one partially transparent pixel; and wherein the partially transparent pixels also provide light to display image content.

Claims

1. An integrated imaging apparatus for displaying images while capturing images of a scene, comprising:

a) an electronic display having an array of display pixels which are used to display image content;

b) at least one image capture device which captures an image, wherein the image capture device having at least an imaging lens and an image sensor array;

c) wherein the image capture device looks through an aperture in the display, the aperture formed by a plurality of partially transparent pixels; and

wherein the partially transparent pixels also provide light to display image content; and

d) wherein the plurality of the partially transparent pixels is patterned in groups to form multiple apertures, with the partially transparent pixels patterned, either individually or in clusters, in a periodic or quasi-periodic manner within the groups.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of partially transparent pixels is patterned contiguously to form the aperture.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plurality of partially transparent pixels are patterned to form the aperture, such that at least a portion of the partially transparent pixels are offset from one another, with at least one of the display pixels located in an intervening space.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of partially transparent pixels is patterned, either individually or in clusters, in a periodic or quasi-periodic manner.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein baffles for blocking or absorbing light are provided at least between the groups.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, which further comprises image processing electronics, which affect the quality of the displayed image content, or the quality of the captured images, or both.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the image processing electronics includes means for enhancing the quality of the captured images relative to factors that includes;

shadowing, frequency artifacts, spatial non-uniformities, spectral differences, or image flicker, or combinations thereof.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the imaging lens provides a Fourier plane and a Fourier plane filter in the Fourier plane.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the partially transparent pixels are one or more of a red, green, blue, or white pixels.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the partially transparent display pixels are periodically controlled to emit no light.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further including means for controlling the display pixels to provide light to display image content during at least a portion of a frame time wherein the partially transparent pixels provide image content display light, wherein a frame time is the sum of the time that includes both image capture and display.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the control means causes the display pixels to provide display light to display image content only during the portion of a frame time that the partially transparent pixels provide image content display light.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the partially transparent display pixels are periodically controlled to be partially transparent.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capture device captures the scene images only during the portion of the frame time that the partially transparent pixels are operating to transmit light.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the display is an emissive display and the image capture device receives a portion of light from the emissive display, includes means for subtracting such light portion from the scene light from a captured image.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the display includes a substrate on which the pixel elements are formed.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the partially transparent pixels further include at least one transparent thin film electrode structure.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electronic display is either a liquid crystal display or an OLED display.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the partially transparent pixel is a part of a pixel of the liquid crystal display or the OLED display.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the display is a color display that uses color filters to form colored pixels.

21. An integrated imaging apparatus for displaying images while capturing images of a scene, comprising:

a) an electronic display having an array of display pixels which are used to display image content;

b) at least one image capture device which captures an image, wherein the image capture device comprises at least an imaging lens and an image sensor array;

c) image processing electronics, which enhance the quality of the displayed image content, or the quality of the captured images, or both;

d) wherein the image capture device looks through or is associated with an aperture in the display, the aperture comprising at least one partially transparent pixel; and

e) wherein the image processing electronics control the operation of the display pixels or the at least one partially transparent pixel, either individually or in combination, to reduce the visibility of image artifacts for either the displayed image content or the captured images or both.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21 wherein the partially transparent pixels also provide light to display image content.

23. An integrated imaging apparatus for displaying images while capturing images of a scene, comprising:

a) an electronic display having an array of display pixels which are used to display image content;

b) the display having at least two apertures integrated within the display, wherein each of the apertures comprises a plurality of partially transparent pixels;

c) at least one image capture device which captures an image, wherein the image capture device comprises at least an imaging lens and an image sensor array; and

d) wherein the image capture device looks through an aperture in the display; and

wherein the presence of image artifacts, related to image display and image capture image is reduced, either individually or in combination, by the patterning of the plurality of partially transparent pixels within the apertures.

24. The apparatus according to claim 23 wherein the partially transparent pixels also provide light to display image content.

25. The apparatus according to claim 23 wherein the plurality of partially transparent pixels is patterned, either individually or in clusters, in a quasi-periodic manner, within at least one of the apertures.

26. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein baffles are provided in regions of the apparatus corresponding to the areas where there are not any apertures.

27. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein baffles are provided in at least some regions of the apparatus that lack an image capture device and the corresponding aperture.

28. An integrated imaging apparatus for displaying images while capturing images of a scene, comprising:

a) an electronic display having an array of display pixels which are used to display image content;

b) at least one image capture device which captures an image, wherein the image capture device having at least an imaging lens and an image sensor array; and

c) wherein the image capture device looks through an aperture in the display, the aperture having at least one partially transparent pixels; and

wherein the partially transparent pixels also provide light to display image content; and

d) wherein the output intensity of the display pixels is changed to compensate forte operation of the partially transparent pixels.