Methods and apparatus for implementing a camera device supporting a number of different focal lengths

• US 9,557,519 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2014
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue River Technology Inc. (Deere & Company)
• Original Assignee: Light Labs Inc.
• Inventors: Laroia, Rajiv
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, NGOC YEN T
• Application Number:
  US14/327,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20150296107A1
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 348/345, 348350-351
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/0065 having a beam-folding prism or mirror
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/009 having zoom function
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/008 Systems specially adapted to form image relays or chained systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/04 with mechanism for focusing or varying magnification
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/09 adapted for automatic focusing or varying magnification
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/102 controlled by a microcomputer cameras with interchangeable lenses G03B17/14
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/1805 for prisms G02B7/181 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/182 for mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 13/36 Autofocus systems
• 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: G03B 2205/0046 Movement of one or more optical elements for zooming
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/04 with cameras or projectors providing touching or overlapping fields of view
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 5/00 Adjustment of optical system relative to image or object surface other than for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/243 using three or more 2D image sensors
• 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 23/51 Housings
• 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 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/67 : Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 : Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 : for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 : by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/00 : Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/531 : by controlling rolling shutters in CMOS SSIS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/745 : Circuitry for generating timing or clock signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/75 : Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2622 : Signal amplitude transition in the zone between image portions, e.g. soft edges
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2624 : for obtaining an image which is composed of whole input images, e.g. splitscreen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/265 : Mixing

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for using optical chains, e.g., camera modules, with different lens configurations to support a wide range of focal lengths are described. In some embodiments a camera device includes a plurality of optical chains. In at least some embodiments non-circular outer lenses are used for optical chains with large focal lengths while optical chains of the same camera device which have smaller focal lengths use round outer lenses. Thus an exemplary camera device supports a number of different focal lengths.

Claims

1. A camera device, comprising:

a first optical chain having a first focal length, said first optical chain having a first non-circular aperture and including a first mirror for directing light that passes through said first non-circular aperture towards a first sensor, said first sensor being positioned closer to a center portion of said camera device than said first non-circular aperture;

a second optical chain having a second focal length, said second optical chain having a second non-circular aperture, and including a second mirror for directing light that passes through said second non-circular aperture towards a second sensor, said second sensor being positioned closer to the center portion of said camera device than said second non-circular aperture; and

a third optical chain located in the center portion of said camera device, said third optical chain having a first circular aperture and a third sensor, said third optical chain having an optical axis extending in a straight manner from the front of the camera device towards the back of the camera device.

2. The camera device of claim 1,

wherein the third optical chain has a third focal length which is smaller than said first and second focal lengths.

3. The camera device of claim 2,

wherein said center portion of said camera device is positioned between a top and a bottom of said camera device;

and

wherein the third optical chain has a field of view which includes at least a majority of a field of view of the first and second optical chains.

4. The camera device of claim 3, wherein said first optical chain is positioned closer to the top of the camera device than the bottom of said camera device;

wherein said second optical chain is positioned closer to the bottom of the camera device than the top of the camera device; and

wherein said first circular aperture of the third optical chain is closer to the bottom of the camera device than said first non-circular aperture of the first optical chain and closer to the top of the camera device than said second non-circular aperture of the second optical chain.

5. The camera device of claim 4,

wherein said third sensor is mounted in a first plane which extends parallel to the front of said camera device.

6. The camera device of claim 5, wherein said third optical chain does not include a mirror.

7. The camera device of claim 2, wherein the overall length of said third optical chain is less than the depth of the camera device.

8. The camera device of claim 1, wherein the first and second focal lengths are the same.

9. The camera device of claim 1, further comprising:

a fourth optical chain having a fourth focal length and a second circular aperture, said fourth focal length being larger than said third focal length and smaller than said first focal length, said fourth optical chain including a third mirror for directing light that passes through said second circular aperture towards a fourth sensor located in said fourth optical chain, said second non-circular aperture being positioned closer to the center portion of the camera device than said top of the camera device; and

a fifth optical chain having the same focal length as said fourth optical chain and a third circular aperture, said fifth optical chain including a fourth mirror for directing light that passes through said third circular aperture towards a fifth sensor located in said fifth optical chain, said third circular aperture being located closer to said center portion of said camera device than to the bottom of the camera device.

10. The camera device of claim 9,

wherein said first, second, third and fourth mirrors are movable mirrors.

11. The camera device of claim 10 wherein said first and second optical chains have optical axis portions which extend parallel to each other but in opposite directions within the camera device.

12. The camera device of claim 11, wherein said fourth and fifth optical chains have optical axis portions which extend parallel to each other but in opposite directions within the camera device.

13. A camera device, comprising:

a first optical chain having a first focal length and a first non-circular lens, said first optical chain including a first sensor and a first light redirection element extending in at least one direction by an amount which is greater than the depth of the camera device;

a second optical chain having a second focal length and a second non-circular lens, said second optical chain including a second sensor and a second light redirection element extending in at least one direction by an amount which is greater than the depth of the camera device;

a third optical chain having a third focal length; and

a processor coupled to said first and second sensors for combining images captured by said first and second sensors to generate a composite image; and

wherein said first and second focal lengths are equal to or greater than 70 mm and said third focal length is less than 70 mm.

14. The camera device of claim 13,

wherein said first and second sensors have the same number of pixels;

and

wherein said third optical chain includes a third sensor having the same number of pixels as said first and second sensors.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium, said non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions, said non-transitory computer readable medium comprising:

instructions, which when executed by a processor, control a first optical chain of a camera to capture a first image during a first time period, said first optical chain having a first focal length and a first non-circular aperture and including a first mirror for directing light that passes through said first non-circular aperture towards a first sensor, said first sensor being positioned closer to a center portion of said camera device than said first non-circular aperture; and

instructions, which when executed by said processor, control a second optical chain of said camera to capture a second image during said first time period, said second optical chain having a second focal length and a second non-circular aperture, and including a second mirror for directing light that passes through said second non-circular aperture towards a second sensor, said second sensor being positioned closer to the center portion of said camera device than said second non-circular aperture; and

instructions, which when executed by said processor, control a third optical chain of said camera to capture a third image, said third optical chain being located in the center portion of said camera and having a first circular aperture and a third sensor, said third optical chain having an optical axis extending in a straight manner from the front of the camera towards the back of the camera.

16. A method of operating a camera, comprising:

capturing a first image, using a first optical chain of said camera, during a first time period, said first optical chain having a first focal length and a first non-circular aperture and including a first mirror for directing light that passes through said first non-circular aperture towards a first sensor, said first sensor being positioned closer to a center portion of said camera device than said first non-circular aperture;

capturing a second image, using a second optical chain of said camera during said first time period, said second optical chain having a second focal length and a second non-circular aperture, and including a second mirror for directing light that passes through said second non-circular aperture towards a second sensor, said second sensor being positioned closer to the center portion of said camera device than said second non-circular aperture; and

capturing a third image, using a third optical chain of said camera located in the center portion of said camera, said third optical chain having a first circular aperture and a third sensor, said third optical chain having an optical axis extending in a straight manner from the front of the camera towards the back of the camera.

17. The method of claim 16,

wherein said third optical chain has a third focal length which is smaller than said first and second focal lengths.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said center portion of said camera is positioned between a top and a bottom of said camera;

and

wherein the third optical chain has a field of view which includes at least a majority of a field of view of the first and second optical chains.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said first optical chain is positioned closer to the top of the camera than the bottom of said camera;

wherein said second optical chain is positioned closer to the bottom of the camera than the top of the camera; and

wherein said first circular aperture of the third optical chain is closer to the bottom of the camera than said first non-circular aperture of the first optical chain and closer to the top of the camera than said second non-circular aperture of the second optical chain.

20. The method of claim 16,

wherein said third sensor is mounted in a first plane which extends parallel to the front of said camera.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the first and second focal lengths are the same.