Image capture using luminance and chrominance sensors

• US 8,497,897 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2010
• Issued: 07/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Gere, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Perungavoor, Sath V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Peter D
• Application Number:
  US12/857,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20120044328A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• Field of Search: 348/48
• US Class Current: 348/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/243 using three or more 2D image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0081 Depth or disparity estimation from stereoscopic image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/13 with multiple sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/15 Image signal generation with circuitry for avoiding or correcting image misregistration
• 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

Methods and apparatuses disclosed herein relate to image sensing devices. One embodiment may take the form of an image sensing device that includes a first image sensor for capturing a luminance image, a second image sensor for capturing a first chrominance, and a third image sensor for capturing a second chrominance image. The image sensing device may further include an image processing module for combining the luminance image captured by the first image sensor, the first chrominance image captured by the second image sensor, and the second chrominance image captured by the third image sensor, to form a composite image.

Claims

1. An image sensing device comprising:

a first image sensor for capturing a luminance image;

a second image sensor for capturing a first chrominance image;

a third image sensor for capturing a second chrominance image; and

an image processing module for combining the luminance image, the first chrominance image, and the second chrominance image, to form a composite image;

wherein the first image sensor is positioned between the second and third image sensors.

2. The image sensing device of claim 1, wherein the second image sensor captures a first field of view and the third image sensor captures a second field of view;

and the first field of view is offset from the second field of view.

3. The image sensing device of claim 2, wherein the first image sensor captures a third field of view;

and the third field of view is offset from the first and second field of views.

4. The image sensing device of claim 1, wherein the image processing module is configured to generate a stereo disparity map from the first and second chrominance images.

5. The image sensing device of claim 1, wherein the image processing module is configured to generate a first stereo disparity map from the first chrominance image and the luminance image and a second stereo disparity map from the second chrominance image and the luminance image.

6. The image sensing device of claim 1, wherein the second or third image sensor includes a pattern of red and blue filters.

7. The image sensing device of claim 1, wherein the second or third image sensor includes a Bayer-pattern filter.

8. A method for sensing an image, comprising:

generating a luminance image with a first sensor;

generating a first chrominance image with a second sensor;

generating a second chrominance image with a third sensor, wherein the first sensor is positioned between the second and third sensors;

generating a stereo disparity map from the first and second chrominance images, and based on the stereo disparity map, combining the luminance image with the first and second chrominance images to produce a composite image.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first sensor has a higher pixel count than the second sensor.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the first sensor has a higher pixel count than the third sensor.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the combining step comprises substantially aligning the first and second chrominance images with the luminance image.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the substantially aligning comprises warping the first and second chrominance images.

13. An image sensing device, comprising:

a first image sensor for capturing a luminance image, the first image sensor having a first blind region due to a near field object;

a second image sensor for capturing a first chrominance image, the second image sensor having a second blind region due to the near field object;

a third image sensor for capturing a second chrominance image, the third image sensor having a third blind region due to the near field object, wherein the first image sensor is positioned between the second and third image sensors; and

an image processing module for combining the luminance image captured by the first image sensor, the first chrominance image, and the second chrominance image, to form a composite image, wherein forming the composite image includes supplementing the first chrominance image with chrominance information from the second chrominance image in portions of the first chrominance image that lack chrominance information due to the second blind region;

wherein the second blind region of the second image sensor is offset from the third blind region of the third image sensor.

14. The image sensing device of claim 13, wherein the first image sensor is positioned between the second and third image sensors.

15. The image sensing device of claim 13, wherein the second blind region does not overlap with the third blind region.

16. The image sensing device of claim 13, wherein the first blind region is offset from at least one of the first and second blind regions.

17. The image sensing device of claim 16, wherein the first image sensor is a higher resolution sensor than the second image sensor.

18. A method for sensing an image, comprising:

generating a luminance image with a first sensor;

generating a first chrominance image with a second sensor;

generating a second chrominance image with a third sensor, wherein the first sensor is positioned between the second and third sensors;

generating a first stereo disparity map from the first chrominance image and the luminance image.