Camera methods and apparatus using optical chain modules which alter the direction of received light

• US 9,282,228 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2014
• Issued: 03/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue River Technology Inc. (Deere & Company)
• Original Assignee: The LightCo Inc.
• Inventors: Laroia, Rajiv
• Primary Examiner(s): Dagnew, Mekonnen
• Application Number:
  US14/147,585
• Publication Number:
  US 20140192240A1
• Time in Patent Office: 793 Days
• Field of Search: 348/277
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/0065 having a beam-folding prism or mirror
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/16 for use in conjunction with image converters or intensifiers , or for use with projectors, e.g. objectives for projection TV
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/22 Telecentric objectives or lens systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/008 Systems specially adapted to form image relays or chained systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/0896 with variable magnification or multiple imaging planes, including multispectral systems systems with only refractive elements G02B15/14
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0056 arranged along two different directions in a plane, e.g. honeycomb arrangement of lenses G02B3/0043 takes precedence; miniaturised objectives for electronic devices employing wafer level optics G02B13/0085
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/18 for prisms; for mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/17 with reflectors arranged in beam forming the photographic image, e.g. for reducing dimensions of camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/73 by influencing the exposure time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/741 by increasing the dynamic range of the image compared to the dynamic range of the electronic image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/75 by influencing optical camera components
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/265 Mixing

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for capturing or generating images using multiple optical chains operating in parallel are described. Pixel values captured by individual optical chains corresponding to the same scene area are combined to provide an image with at least some of the benefits which would have been provided by capturing an image of the scene using a larger lens than that of the individual lenses of the optical chain modules. By using multiple optical chains in parallel at least some benefits normally obtained from using a large lens can be obtained without the need for a large lens. Furthermore in at least some embodiments, a wide dynamic range can be supported through the use of multiple sensors with the overall supported dynamic range being potentially larger than that of the individual sensors. Some lens and/or optical chain configurations are designed for use in small handheld devices, e.g., cell phones.

Claims

1. A portable camera apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of at least three optical chains, each optical chain in said plurality including an outer lens located in a front face of the portable camera apparatus, a light redirection element, and a sensor, said light redirection element changing the direction of optical rays passing along an optical axis of said outer lens by substantially 90 degrees to direct said optical rays passing along said optical axis onto the sensor of the optical chain in which said light redirection element and said lens are located, wherein the plurality of at least three optical chains includes;

a first optical chain including a first outer lens positioned in a upper left corner portion of said front face, said first optical chain including a first light redirection element for directing light entering said first outer lens towards a lower right corner portion of said portable camera apparatus;

a second optical chain including a second outer lens positioned in a upper right corner portion of said front face; and

a third optical chain including a third outer lens positioned in a lower left corner portion of said front face, said third optical chain including a third light redirection element for directing light entering said third outer lens towards the upper right corner portion of said portable camera apparatus.

2. The portable camera apparatus of claim 1,

wherein said second optical chain includes a second light redirection element for directing light entering said second outer lens towards a lower left corner portion of said portable camera apparatus.

3. The portable camera apparatus of claim 2,

wherein said first optical chain includes a first inner lens between said first light redirection device and a first sensor of said first optical chain;

wherein said second optical chain includes a second inner lens between said second light redirection device and a second sensor of said second optical chain; and

wherein said third optical chain includes a third inner lens between said third light redirection device and a third sensor of said third optical chain.

4. The portable camera apparatus of claim 3, wherein the optical axes of outer lenses of at least two of said optical chains in said plurality of optical chains are parallel to each other but at least two mirrors corresponding to different optical chains are not parallel.

5. The portable camera apparatus of claim 4, wherein said first, second and third sensors are located on a surface of a cylinder.

6. The portable camera apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the first light redirection element of the first optical chain is a mirror positioned at 45 degree to an optical axis of the first outer lens of said first optical chain;

wherein the second light redirection element of the second optical chain is a second mirror positioned at 45 degree to an optical axis of the second outer lens of said second optical chain; and

wherein the third light redirection element of the third optical chain is a third mirror positioned at 45 degree to an optical axis of the third outer lens of said third optical chain.

7. The portable camera apparatus of claim 1 wherein the light redirection device of at least one optical chain in said plurality of optical chains includes at least one prism.

8. The portable camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical rays of at least the first and second optical chains cross after the optical rays passing through the first optical chain are redirected by said first light redirection device and after the optical rays passing through the second optical chain are redirected by said second light redirection device.

9. The portable camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of optical chains further includes:

a fourth optical chain including a fourth outer lens positioned in a lower right corner portion of said front face, said fourth optical chain including a fourth light redirection element for directing light entering said fourth outer lens towards an upper left corner of said portable camera apparatus.

10. The portable camera apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a fifth optical chain including a fifth outer lens positioned in a lower center portion of said front face, said fifth optical chain including a fifth light redirection element for directing light entering said fifth outer lens towards an upper center portion of said portable camera apparatus.

11. The portable camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first optical chain includes a first sensor located in said lower right corner portion of said portable camera apparatus.

12. The portable camera apparatus of claim 11,

wherein the second optical chain includes a second sensor located in a lower left corner portion of said portable camera apparatus;

and

wherein the third optical chain includes a third sensor located in the upper right corner portion of the portable camera apparatus.

13. The camera apparatus of claim 12, wherein the plurality of optical chains further includes:

a fourth optical chain including a fourth outer lens positioned in a lower right corner section of said front face, said fourth optical chain including a fourth light redirection element for directing light entering said fourth outer lens towards a fourth sensor included in an upper left corner of said portable camera apparatus.

14. The portable camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein said left and right portions of said camera are from the perspective of a person looking at the front face of said portable camera apparatus.

15. The portable camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first, second and third outer lenses are positioned near the perimeter of the front face of the portable camera apparatus.

16. The portable camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first, second and third outer lenses are located on a circle.

17. The portable camera apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a first drum on which i) a first filter of the first optical chain is mounted, ii) a second filter of the second optical chain is mounted; and

iii) a third filter of the third optical chain is mounted.

18. The portable camera apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a second drum on which i) a first inner lens of the first optical chain is mounted, a second inner lens of the second optical chain is mounted; and

ii) a third inner lens of the third optical chain is mounted.

19. The portable camera apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a first drum on which i) a first filter of the first optical chain is mounted, ii)a second filter of the second optical chain is mounted; and

iii) a third filter of the third optical chain is mounted;

a second drum on which i) a first inner lens of the first optical chain is mounted, a second inner lens of the second optical chain is mounted; and

ii) a third inner lens of the third optical chain is mounted; and

wherein one of the first and second drums is located inside the other one of the first and second drums.