Capturing and processing of images using monolithic camera array with heterogeneous imagers
First Claim
1. A camera array, comprising:
- a lens stack array, comprising;
lens elements arranged to form a plurality of optical channels, where the optical channels are configured to form an image of an object space within a scene from slightly different viewpoints;
at least one aperture located within each optical channel;
at least one spectral filter located within each optical channel, where each spectral filter is configured to pass a specific spectral band of light; and
light blocking materials located within the lens stack array to optically isolate the optical channels; and
an imager array, comprising;
a plurality of imagers, where each imager comprises at least two pixels; and
circuitry for controlling imaging parameters that is configured to trigger each imager independently;
wherein the plurality of optical channels and the plurality of imagers form a plurality of cameras configured to capture different low resolution images representing slightly different viewpoints of the same scene that provide non-redundant information about the scene;
wherein the low resolution images captured by the plurality of cameras include different occlusions sets, where the occlusion set of a given camera is the portion of a scene visible to a first of the plurality of cameras that is occluded from the view of the given camera;
wherein the shape of at least one lens element forming a first optical channel for a camera of a first type that includes a spectral filter configured to pass a first spectral band of light differs from the shape of at least one lens element forming a second optical channel for a camera of a second type that includes a spectral filter configured to pass a second spectral band of light; and
wherein the plurality of cameras includes at least one camera of each type that captures pixels around an edge of a foreground object that is visible to the first of the plurality of cameras and is in the occlusion set of another of the plurality of cameras.
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Abstract
Systems and methods for implementing array cameras configured to perform super-resolution processing to generate higher resolution super-resolved images using a plurality of captured images and lens stack arrays that can be utilized in array cameras are disclosed. Lens stack arrays in accordance with many embodiments of the invention include lens elements formed on substrates separated by spacers, where the lens elements, substrates and spacers are configured to form a plurality of optical channels, at least one aperture located within each optical channel, at least one spectral filter located within each optical channel, where each spectral filter is configured to pass a specific spectral band of light, and light blocking materials located within the lens stack array to optically isolate the optical channels.
391 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A camera array, comprising:
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a lens stack array, comprising; lens elements arranged to form a plurality of optical channels, where the optical channels are configured to form an image of an object space within a scene from slightly different viewpoints; at least one aperture located within each optical channel; at least one spectral filter located within each optical channel, where each spectral filter is configured to pass a specific spectral band of light; and light blocking materials located within the lens stack array to optically isolate the optical channels; and an imager array, comprising; a plurality of imagers, where each imager comprises at least two pixels; and circuitry for controlling imaging parameters that is configured to trigger each imager independently; wherein the plurality of optical channels and the plurality of imagers form a plurality of cameras configured to capture different low resolution images representing slightly different viewpoints of the same scene that provide non-redundant information about the scene; wherein the low resolution images captured by the plurality of cameras include different occlusions sets, where the occlusion set of a given camera is the portion of a scene visible to a first of the plurality of cameras that is occluded from the view of the given camera; wherein the shape of at least one lens element forming a first optical channel for a camera of a first type that includes a spectral filter configured to pass a first spectral band of light differs from the shape of at least one lens element forming a second optical channel for a camera of a second type that includes a spectral filter configured to pass a second spectral band of light; and wherein the plurality of cameras includes at least one camera of each type that captures pixels around an edge of a foreground object that is visible to the first of the plurality of cameras and is in the occlusion set of another of the plurality of cameras. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification