Devices and methods for high dynamic range imaging with co-planar sensors

• US 10,819,925 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2019
• Issued: 10/27/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Contrast, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Contrast, Inc.
• Inventors: Kiser, Willie C., Tocci, Nora, Tocci, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Ngoc Yen T
• Application Number:
  US16/379,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20190238766A1
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/106 for splitting or combining a plurality of identical beams or images, e.g. image replication
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1066 for enhancing image performance, like resolution, pixel numbers, dual magnifications or dynamic range, by tiling, slicing or overlapping fields of view
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/108 for sampling a portion of a beam or combining a small beam in a larger one, e.g. wherein the area ratio or power ratio of the divided beams significantly differs from unity, without spectral selectivity
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/145 having sequential partially reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/13 with multiple 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 23/50 Constructional details
• 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 23/741 by increasing the dynamic range of the image compared to the dynamic range of the electronic image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/57 Control of the dynamic range
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/646 for image enhancement, e.g. vertical detail restoration, cross-colour elimination, contour correction, chrominance trapping filters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/76 for mixing of colour signals H04N9/75 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention is relates to systems and methods for high dynamic range (HDR) image capture and video processing in mobile devices. Aspects of the invention include a mobile device, such as a smartphone or digital mobile camera, including at least two image sensors fixed in a co-planar arrangement to a substrate and an optical splitting system configured to reflect at least about 90% of incident light received through an aperture of the mobile device onto the co-planar image sensors, to thereby capture a HDR image. In some embodiments, greater than about 95% of the incident light received through the aperture of the device is reflected onto the image sensors.

Claims

1. A device for high dynamic range (HDR) image capture, the device comprising:

a beamsplitter configured to receive and divide incoming light unequally onto first and second light paths of substantially equal length;

first and second image sensors fixed in a co-planar arrangement to a substrate so that the first and second sensors are placed along the same plane to simultaneously capture, from the respective first and second light paths, first and second images that are substantially identical except for light level; and

a processing system coupled to the first and second image sensors and operable to process the first and second images to generate a high dynamic range image.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a lens to receive the incoming light into the device and pass the incoming light to the beamsplitter.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said first light path comprises about 96% of light entering an aperture of said device.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein said second light path comprises about 4% of light entering said aperture of said device.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein greater than about 95% of said incoming light is received onto said image sensors.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said image sensors are fixed to a substrate of an integrated circuit.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein said image sensors are monolithically formed along a portion of said substrate.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said substrate is bonded to a portion of an integrated circuit.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein said image sensors are charge-coupled device (CCD) image sensors or complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein said image sensors and said beamsplitter are integrated into a mobile device having a camera.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein said mobile device comprises a smartphone.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the beamsplitter receives the incoming light through a single lens of the device and divides the incoming light unequally onto the first and second light paths of substantially equal length.

13. A method of forming a high dynamic range image, the method comprising:

unequally dividing, by a beamsplitter in a camera, imaging light onto first and second co-planar image sensors along respective first and second light paths of substantially equal length, wherein the first and second coplanar image sensors are fixed in a co-planar arrangement to a substrate within the camera, the substrate comprising an integrated circuit shared by the first and second coplanar image sensors;

simultaneously capturing, by the first and second co-planar image sensors respective first and second images that are substantially identical except for light level from the unequally divided imaging light; and

merging the first and second images into a high dynamic range image.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving the incoming light through a single aperture of the camera.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the camera and the first and second coplanar image sensors are integrated within a mobile device.