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

• US 9,690,079 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2016
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue River Technology Inc. (Deere & Company)
• Original Assignee: Light Labs Inc.
• Inventors: Laroia, Rajiv
• Primary Examiner(s): DAGNEW, MEKONNEN D
• Application Number:
  US15/007,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20160139375A1
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• 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 camera apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of at least three optical chain, each optical chain in said plurality including an aperture, a light redirection element, and a sensor, said light redirection element changing the direction of light passing through the optical chain in which the light redirection element is located prior to the light passing through the optical chain reaching the sensor in the optical chain the plurality of at least three optical chains including;

a first optical chain including a first aperture positioned in a face of said camera apparatus, said first aperture being closer to a first side of said camera apparatus than to a second side of said camera apparatus, said first optical chain including a first light redirection element directing light downward within said camera apparatus along a first optical path portion extending on a diagonal relative to a bottom of said camera apparatus, from said first light redirection device towards a first sensor of said first optical chain, said first sensor being located a greater horizontal distance away from said first side of said camera than said first aperture and a greater vertical distance from a top of said camera apparatus than said first aperture;

a second optical chain including a second aperture positioned in the face of said camera apparatus, said second aperture being closer to the second side of said camera apparatus than to the first side of said camera apparatus, said second optical chain including a second light redirection element directing light upward within said camera apparatus along a second optical path portion extending on a diagonal relative to the bottom of said camera apparatus from said second light redirection device towards a second sensor of said second optical chain, said second sensor being located a lesser horizontal distance away from said first side of said camera than said second aperture and a lesser vertical distance from the top of said camera apparatus than said second aperture; and

a third optical chain including a third aperture positioned in the face of said camera apparatus, said third aperture being closer to the second side of said camera apparatus than to the first side of said camera apparatus, said third optical chain including a third light redirection element directing light upward within said camera apparatus along a third optical path portion extending on a diagonal relative to the bottom of said camera apparatus from said third light redirection device towards a third sensor of said third optical chain, said third sensor being located a lesser horizontal distance away from said first side of said camera apparatus than said third aperture and a lesser vertical distance from the top of said camera apparatus than said third aperture.

2. The camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first aperture is located in an upper corner of said camera face and said second aperture and said third aperture are located in a lower portion of said camera face corresponding to lower corner which is on a diagonal with respect to said upper corner in which said first aperture is located.

3. The camera apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a fourth optical chain including a fourth aperture positioned in the face of said camera apparatus, said fourth aperture being closer to the second side of said camera apparatus than to the first side of said camera apparatus, said fourth optical chain including a fourth light redirection element directing light within said camera apparatus along a fourth optical path portion extending downwards on a diagonal relative to the bottom of said camera apparatus from said fourth light redirection device towards a fourth sensor of said fourth optical chain, said fourth sensor being located a lesser horizontal distance away from said first side of said camera apparatus than said fourth aperture and a greater vertical distance from the top of said camera apparatus than said fourth aperture.

4. The camera apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

a fifth optical chain including a fifth aperture positioned in the face of said camera apparatus, said fifth aperture being closer to the first side of said camera apparatus than to the second side of said camera apparatus, said fifth optical chain including a fifth light redirection element directing light within said camera apparatus along a fifth optical path portion extending upwards on a diagonal relative to the bottom of said camera apparatus from said fifth light redirection device towards a fifth sensor of said fifth optical chain, said fifth sensor being located a greater horizontal distance away from said first side of said camera apparatus than said fifth aperture and a lesser vertical distance from the top of said camera apparatus than said fifth aperture.

5. The camera apparatus of claim 3,

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.

6. The camera apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

a fifth optical chain including a fifth aperture positioned in the face of said camera apparatus, said fifth aperture being closer to the first side of said camera apparatus than to the second side of said camera apparatus, said fifth optical chain including a fifth light redirection element directing light within said camera apparatus along a fifth optical path portion extending upwards from said fifth light redirection device towards a fifth sensor of said fifth optical chain, said fifth sensor being located a greater horizontal distance away from said first side of said camera apparatus than said fifth aperture and a lesser vertical distance from the top of said camera apparatus than said fifth aperture.

7. The camera apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the first light redirection element of the first optical chain is a mirror positioned at 45 degrees to the face of the camera apparatus;

wherein the second light redirection element of the second optical chain is a second mirror positioned at 45 degrees to the face of the camera apparatus; and

wherein the third light redirection element of the third optical chain is a third mirror positioned at 45 degree to the face of the camera apparatus.

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

9. The camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least three optical chains include outer lenses, and wherein the optical axis of the outer lenses of at least two of the first, second and third optical chins are parallel to each other but at least two mirrors corresponding to different optical chains in said plurality of at least three optical chains are not parallel.

10. The camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first, second and third sensors are located on a surface of a cylinder.

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

12. The camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is located in a lower left corner portion of said camera apparatus.

13. The camera apparatus of claim 12,

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

14. The camera apparatus of claim 13, wherein the plurality of at least three 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.

15. The portable camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein first side is right side of said camera apparatus;

and

wherein said second side is a left side of said camera apparatus, said left and right sides of said camera apparatus being from the perspective of a person looking at the front face of said camera apparatus.

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

17. The camera apparatus of claim 16, wherein said first, second and third apertures are located on a circle.

18. The 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.

19. The portable camera apparatus of claim 17, 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.

20. A camera apparatus, comprising:

a first optical chain including a first aperture positioned in a face of said camera apparatus, said first aperture being closer to a first side of said camera apparatus than to a second side of said camera apparatus, said first optical chain including a first light redirection element directing light downward within said camera apparatus along a first optical path portion extending on a diagonal relative to a bottom of said camera apparatus, from said first light redirection device towards a first sensor of said first optical chain, said first sensor being located a greater horizontal distance away from said first side of said camera than said first aperture and a greater vertical distance from a top of said camera apparatus than said first aperture;

a second optical chain including a second aperture positioned in the face of said camera apparatus, said second aperture being closer to the second side of said camera apparatus than to the first side of said camera apparatus, said second optical chain including a second light redirection element directing light upward within said camera apparatus along a second optical path portion extending on a diagonal relative to the bottom of said camera apparatus from said second light redirection device towards a second sensor of said second optical chain, said second sensor being located a lesser horizontal distance away from said first side of said camera than said second aperture and a lesser vertical distance from the top of said camera apparatus than said second aperture; and

a third optical chain including a third aperture positioned in the face of said camera apparatus, said third aperture being closer to the second side of said camera apparatus than to the first side of said camera apparatus, said third optical chain including a third light redirection element directing light upward within said camera apparatus along a third optical path portion extending on a diagonal relative to the bottom of said camera apparatus from said third light redirection device towards a third sensor of said third optical chain, said third sensor being located a lesser horizontal distance away from said first side of said camera apparatus than said third aperture and a lesser vertical distance from the top of said camera apparatus than said third aperture.