Systems and methods for measuring depth using images captured by a camera array including cameras surrounding a central camera
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A camera array, comprising:
- a plurality of cameras configured to capture images of a scene;
an image processor;
wherein one of the plurality of cameras includes a primary camera and the plurality of cameras forms;
at least one camera above the primary camera;
at least one camera below the primary camera;
at least one camera to the left of the primary camera; and
at least one camera to the right of the primary camera;
wherein cameras having the same imaging characteristics are located in locations selected from the group consisting of;
locations including above the primary camera and below the primary camera; and
locations including to the left of the primary camera and to the right of the primary camera;
wherein the image processor is configured to measure parallax using images captured by the plurality of cameras by detecting parallax-induced changes that are consistent across the images taking into account the position of the cameras that captured the images; and
wherein the image processor is further configured to generate a depth map using measured parallax.
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Abstract
A camera array, an imaging device and/or a method for capturing image that employ a plurality of imagers fabricated on a substrate is provided. Each imager includes a plurality of pixels. The plurality of imagers include a first imager having a first imaging characteristics and a second imager having a second imaging characteristics. The images generated by the plurality of imagers are processed to obtain an enhanced image compared to images captured by the imagers. Each imager may be associated with an optical element fabricated using a wafer level optics (WLO) technology.
794 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A camera array, comprising:
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a plurality of cameras configured to capture images of a scene; an image processor; wherein one of the plurality of cameras includes a primary camera and the plurality of cameras forms; at least one camera above the primary camera; at least one camera below the primary camera;
at least one camera to the left of the primary camera; andat least one camera to the right of the primary camera; wherein cameras having the same imaging characteristics are located in locations selected from the group consisting of; locations including above the primary camera and below the primary camera; and locations including to the left of the primary camera and to the right of the primary camera; wherein the image processor is configured to measure parallax using images captured by the plurality of cameras by detecting parallax-induced changes that are consistent across the images taking into account the position of the cameras that captured the images; and wherein the image processor is further configured to generate a depth map using measured parallax. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A camera array, comprising:
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a plurality of cameras configured to capture images of a scene, where each camera comprises; optics comprising at least one lens element and at least one aperture; and a sensor comprising a two dimensional array of pixels and control circuitry for controlling imaging parameters; a controller configured to control operation parameters of the plurality of cameras; and an image processing pipeline module comprising a parallax confirmation and measurement module; wherein one of the plurality of cameras includes a primary camera and the plurality of cameras forms; at least one camera above the primary camera; at least one camera below the primary camera; at least one camera to the left of the primary camera; and at least one camera to the right of the primary camera; wherein cameras having the same imaging characteristics are located in locations selected from the group consisting of; locations including above the primary camera and below the primary camera; and locations including to the left of the primary camera and to the right of the primary cameral; wherein images captured by the plurality of cameras include different occlusions sets, where the occlusion set of a first camera is the portion of a scene visible to a second camera in the plurality of cameras that is occluded from the view of the first camera; wherein the image processing pipeline module comprises a parallax confirmation and measurement module configured to measure parallax using images captured by the plurality of cameras by detecting parallax-induced changes that are consistent across all of the images taking into account the position of the cameras that captured the images; and wherein the parallax confirmation and measurement module is further configured to generate a depth map using measured parallax. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A camera array, comprising:
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a plurality of cameras configured to capture images of a scene, where each camera comprises; optics comprising at least one lens element and at least one aperture; and a sensor comprising a two dimensional array of pixels and control circuitry for controlling imaging parameters; a controller configured to control operation parameters of the plurality of cameras; and an image processing pipeline module comprising a parallax confirmation and measurement module; a near-IR light source configured to illuminate the scene during image capture; wherein one of the plurality of cameras includes a primary camera and the plurality of cameras includes at least two near-IR cameras; wherein the two near-IR cameras are located in locations selected from the group consisting of; locations including above the primary camera and below the primary camera; and locations including to the left of the primary camera and to the right of the primary cameral; wherein the image processing pipeline module comprises a parallax confirmation and measurement module configured to measure parallax using images captured by the plurality of cameras by detecting parallax-induced changes that are consistent across all of the images taking into account the position of the cameras that captured the images; and wherein the parallax confirmation and measurement module is further configured to generate a depth map using measured parallax. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification