Digital camera with light splitter
First Claim
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1. A digital camera device comprising a device housing in which the following are integrated:
- a light splitter cube having an entrance face to receive incident light from a camera scene, the incident light from the camera scene entering the housing through a face of the housing, a depth from the face to an opposite side of the housing being shorter than length and width of the face, the light splitter cube to split the incident light into red, green, and blue, second, and third color components that emerge from the light splitter cube through a first exit face, a second exit face, and a third exit face of the light splitter cube, respectively, wherein the light splitter cube comprises first, second, third and fourth transparent polyhedrons, each of the transparent polyhedrons having a right isosceles triangular base, a right isosceles triangular top, and three faces joining corresponding sides of the triangular base and top, wherein the first transparent polyhedron adjoins the second transparent polyhedron at a first dichroic interface and the first transparent polyhedron adjoins the fourth transparent polyhedron at a second dichroic interface, wherein the first dichroic interface reflects red light and passes blue and green lights, wherein the second dichroic interface reflects blue light and passes green and red lights;
first, second and third image sensors, each being positioned to receive a respective one of the color components that emerge from the first, second and third exit faces of the light splitter cube;
a deflector positioned to deflect the incident light from the camera scene towards the light splitter cube; and
a zoom lens system positioned entirely in a path of the deflected incident light between the deflector and the entrance face of the light splitter cube, wherein the zoom lens system comprises more than two moveable lens elements.
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Abstract
A digital camera component is described that has a light splitter cube having an entrance face to receive incident light from a camera scene. The cube splits the incident light into first, second, and third color components that emerge from the cube through a first face, a second face, and a third face of the cube, respectively. First, second, and third image sensors are provided, each being positioned to receive a respective one of the color components that emerge from the first, second, and third faces of the cube. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
43 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A digital camera device comprising a device housing in which the following are integrated:
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a light splitter cube having an entrance face to receive incident light from a camera scene, the incident light from the camera scene entering the housing through a face of the housing, a depth from the face to an opposite side of the housing being shorter than length and width of the face, the light splitter cube to split the incident light into red, green, and blue, second, and third color components that emerge from the light splitter cube through a first exit face, a second exit face, and a third exit face of the light splitter cube, respectively, wherein the light splitter cube comprises first, second, third and fourth transparent polyhedrons, each of the transparent polyhedrons having a right isosceles triangular base, a right isosceles triangular top, and three faces joining corresponding sides of the triangular base and top, wherein the first transparent polyhedron adjoins the second transparent polyhedron at a first dichroic interface and the first transparent polyhedron adjoins the fourth transparent polyhedron at a second dichroic interface, wherein the first dichroic interface reflects red light and passes blue and green lights, wherein the second dichroic interface reflects blue light and passes green and red lights; first, second and third image sensors, each being positioned to receive a respective one of the color components that emerge from the first, second and third exit faces of the light splitter cube; a deflector positioned to deflect the incident light from the camera scene towards the light splitter cube; and a zoom lens system positioned entirely in a path of the deflected incident light between the deflector and the entrance face of the light splitter cube, wherein the zoom lens system comprises more than two moveable lens elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A digital camera module comprising:
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a camera module housing having integrated therein a deflector positioned to deflect incident light from a camera scene, a light splitter having an entrance face to receive the deflected incident light, the light splitter to split the incident light into blue, green, and red color components, the light splitter being formed of first, second, third and fourth transparent polyhedrons, each of the polyhedrons having a right isosceles triangular base, a right isosceles triangular top, and three faces joining corresponding sides of the triangular base and top, wherein the three faces are a hypotenuse face, a left leg face, and a right leg face, wherein the hypotenuse face of the first polyhedron is the entrance face of the light splitter, the right leg face of the first polyhedron adjoins the left leg face of the second polyhedron at a first dichroic interface, wherein the first dichroic interface reflects red light in the first polyhedron and transmits blue and green lights into the second polyhedron, and the left leg face of the first polyhedron adjoins the right leg face of the fourth polyhedron at a second dichroic interface, wherein the second dichroic interface reflects blue light in the first polyhedron and transmits green and red lights into the fourth polyhedron, the splitter further having a first exit face, a second exit face, and a third exit face, first, second and third image sensors, each being positioned to face the first, second and third exit faces, and a zoom lens system positioned entirely in a path of the incident light between the deflector and the entrance face of the light splitter, wherein the zoom lens system comprises more than two moveable lens elements. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A portable wireless communications device comprising:
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an outer housing; cellular network wireless communications circuitry integrated inside the outer housing; and a digital camera integrated inside the housing, the digital camera having a deflector positioned to deflect light from a camera scene by about ninety degrees, a light splitter having an entrance face to receive the deflected light, the light splitter to split the deflected light into blue, green, and red components that emerge through a first exit face, a second exit face, and a third exit face, respectively, and first, second and third image sensors, each being positioned to face the first, second and third exit faces, and a zoom lens system positioned entirely in a path of the deflected light between the deflector and the entrance face of the light splitter, wherein the zoom lens system comprises more than two moveable lens elements, wherein the light splitter comprises first, second, third and fourth transparent polyhedrons, each of the transparent polyhedrons having a right isosceles triangular base, a right isosceles triangular top, and three faces joining corresponding sides of the triangular base and top, wherein the first transparent polyhedron adjoins the second transparent polyhedron at a first dichroic interface and the first transparent polyhedron adjoins the fourth transparent polyhedron at a second dichroic interface, wherein the first dichroic interface reflects red light and passes blue and green lights, wherein the second dichroic interface reflects blue light and passes green and red lights. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification