Depth sensing auto focus multiple camera system

• US 9,426,450 B1
• Filed: 08/18/2015
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Zhang, Daniel H., Hicks, Richmond
• Primary Examiner(s): Perkey, WB
• Application Number:
  US14/828,964
• Time in Patent Office: 371 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/22 Telecentric objectives or lens systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/12 Fluid-filled or evacuated lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/285 including two or more different focus detection devices, e.g. both an active and a passive focus detecting device
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 13/20 Rangefinders coupled with focusing arrangements, e.g. adjustment of rangefinder automatically focusing camera
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 13/32 Means for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/00 Stereoscopic photography
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/67 Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals

Abstract

A depth sensing multiple camera system is described that uses depth sensing cameras. In one example, the camera system includes a primary auto-focus camera to capture an image of a scene at a first focus distance, the primary camera having a fixed field of view through different focus distances, a secondary auto-focus camera to capture an image of the same scene at a second focus distance, the secondary camera having a fixed field of view through different focus distances, and a processor having a first port coupled to the primary camera to receive images from the primary camera and a second port to receive images from the secondary camera and to determine a depth map for the captured primary camera image using the captured secondary camera image.

Claims

1. An imaging device comprising:

a primary auto-focus camera to capture an image of a scene at a first focus distance, the primary camera having a fixed field of view through different focus distances;

a secondary auto-focus camera to capture an image of the same scene at a second focus distance, the secondary camera having a fixed field of view through different focus distances; and

a processor having a first port coupled to the primary camera to receive images from the primary camera and a second port to receive images from the secondary camera and to determine a depth map for the captured primary camera image using the captured secondary camera image.

2. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the primary and secondary auto-focus cameras each include a lens system having a deformable optical element.

3. The imaging device of claim 2, wherein the primary and secondary auto-focus lens systems have no moving parts.

4. The imaging device of claim 3, wherein the deformable element comprises an optical membrane in an oil filled cavity and wherein the membrane changes shape with movement of the oil induced by a voltage applied to the cavity.

5. The imaging device of claim 3, wherein the processor is coupled to the primary and secondary auto focus camera to control the voltage applied to the cavity of each camera.

6. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the primary and secondary auto-focus cameras each include a telecentric lens system.

7. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the primary camera has a first field of view and the secondary camera has a second field of view and wherein the first and the second field of view are the same.

8. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the first and the second focus distance are the same.

9. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the processor is to determine a depth map by recognizing objects in a primary camera image, finding corresponding objects in a corresponding secondary camera image, determining positions of the found objects in the respective images and performing triangulation using the determined positions to determine a distance to each object.

10. The imaging device of claim 1, further comprising a third auto-focus camera having a higher resolution to capture an image of the same scene and determining a depth map comprises relating the depth map to an image of the third camera.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a first means for capturing an image of a scene at a first focus distance, the first image capturing means having a fixed field of view through different focus distances;

a second means for capturing an image of the same scene at a second focus distance, the second image capturing means having a fixed field of view through different focus distances; and

means for processing having a first port coupled to the primary camera to receive images from the first image capturing means and a second port to receive images from the second image capturing means to determine a depth map for an image from the first image capturing means using an image from the second image capturing means.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first and second image capturing means each have an autofocus lens system having a deformable optical element.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the auto-focus lens systems have no moving parts.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the deformable element comprises an optical membrane in an oil filled cavity and wherein the membrane changes shape with movement of the oil induced by a voltage applied to the cavity.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the primary and secondary auto-focus cameras each include a telecentric lens system.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the primary camera has a first field of view and the secondary camera has a second field of view and wherein the first and the second field of view are the same.

17. A portable device comprising:

a display on a first surface of the device;

a user interface;

a primary auto-focus camera on a second surface of the device opposite the first surface to capture an image of a scene at a first focus distance, the primary camera having a fixed field of view through different focus distances;

a secondary auto-focus camera on the second surface of the device to capture an image of the same scene at a second focus distance, the secondary camera having a fixed field of view through different focus distances; and

a processor having a first port coupled to the primary camera to receive images from the primary camera and a second port to receive images from the secondary camera and to determine a depth map for the captured primary camera image using the captured secondary camera image.

18. The portable device of claim 17, wherein the primary and secondary auto-focus cameras each include a lens system having a deformable optical element.

19. The portable device of claim 17, wherein the primary camera has a first field of view and the secondary camera has a second field of view and wherein the first and the second field of view are the same.

20. The portable device of claim 17, further comprising a third auto-focus camera on the second surface having a higher resolution to capture an image of the same scene and determining a depth map comprises relating the depth map to an image of the third camera.