Imaging systems and methods using square image sensor for flexible image orientation
First Claim
1. An imaging system for generating flexibly oriented electronic images, comprising:
- a mobile phone including;
(a) an image sensor having a square pixel array;
(b) imaging optics for forming an optical image on at least a portion of the square pixel array, the at least a portion being within an image circle of the imaging optics and the at least a portion including a plurality of rectangular sub-portions of mutually different orientations including at least one orientation that is not squarely aligned with the square pixel array; and
(c) a processing module capable of generating an electronic image from any of the plurality of rectangular sub-portions, wherein the processing module is configured to, for each pixel of the electronic image and when a rectangular sub-portion is not squarely aligned with the square pixel array, populate the each pixel of the electronic image with values associated with signals from at least one pixel of the square pixel array located nearest a location corresponding to the each pixel of the electronic image.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An imaging system for generating flexibly oriented electronic images includes an image sensor having a square pixel array, imaging optics for forming an optical image on at least a portion of the square pixel array, wherein the portion is within an image circle of the imaging optics and includes at least two rectangular sub-portions differing from each other in aspect ratio and/or orientation, and a processing module capable of generating an electronic image from each of the at least two rectangular sub-portions. An imaging method for generating electronic images of flexible orientation, using a square image sensor pixel array, includes forming an optical image on at least a portion of the square image sensor pixel array, selecting, according to a desired orientation, a rectangular sub-portion of the at least a portion of the square image sensor pixel array, and generating a final electronic image from the sub-portion.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An imaging system for generating flexibly oriented electronic images, comprising:
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a mobile phone including; (a) an image sensor having a square pixel array; (b) imaging optics for forming an optical image on at least a portion of the square pixel array, the at least a portion being within an image circle of the imaging optics and the at least a portion including a plurality of rectangular sub-portions of mutually different orientations including at least one orientation that is not squarely aligned with the square pixel array; and (c) a processing module capable of generating an electronic image from any of the plurality of rectangular sub-portions, wherein the processing module is configured to, for each pixel of the electronic image and when a rectangular sub-portion is not squarely aligned with the square pixel array, populate the each pixel of the electronic image with values associated with signals from at least one pixel of the square pixel array located nearest a location corresponding to the each pixel of the electronic image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 21)
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9. An imaging method for generating electronic images of flexible orientation using a square image sensor pixel array, comprising:
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onboard a mobile phone, forming an optical image on at least a portion of the square image sensor pixel array; selecting, according to a desired orientation and from a set of mutually different orientations, a rectangular sub-portion of the at least a portion of the square image sensor pixel array, the set of mutually different orientations including at least one orientation that is not squarely aligned with the square image sensor pixel array; and generating a final electronic image from the rectangular sub-portion, said generating including for each pixel of the final electronic image, when the rectangular sub-portion is not squarely aligned with the square pixel array, populating the pixel of the final electronic image with values associated with signals from at least one pixel of the square image sensor pixel array located nearest a location corresponding to the pixel of the final electronic image. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification