Electronic camera filter

• US 11,184,510 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2019
• Issued: 11/23/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panavision International LP (Panavision Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Panavision International LP (Panavision Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sadahiro, Haluki, McVicker, Guy
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Quan
• Application Number:
  US16/381,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20190320099A1
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0236 the diffusion taking place within the volume of the element
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/20 Filters polarising elements G02B5/30
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/201 in the form of arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/205 Neutral density filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/223 containing organic substances, e.g. dyes, inks or pigments
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13725 based on guest-host interaction G02F1/13762, G02F1/13737, take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 11/00 Filters or other obturators specially adapted for photographic purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3208 organic, e.g. using organic light-emitting diodes [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/75 by influencing optical camera components

Abstract

A filter for a camera lens including an electronic display configured to couple to an object side of the camera lens and configured to filter an image on an object side of the electronic display for the camera lens. A controller is configured to electrically control the filtering of the electronic display. An input is for receiving a control for controlling the controller.

Claims

1. A filter for a camera lens, the filter comprising:

an electronic display configured to couple to an object side of the camera lens and configured to filter an image on an object side of the electronic display for the camera lens;

a controller configured to electrically control the filtering of the electronic display and configured to receive an input from a sensor of the image provided to the camera lens; and

an input for receiving a control for controlling the controller,

wherein the controller is configured to receive a selection by a user of a portion of the image to be filtered, and the controller is configured to electrically control the filtering of the electronic display such that the portion of the image selected by the user to be filtered is filtered, and the filtering of the portion of the image selected by the user varies automatically based on the input provided to the controller from the sensor of the image provided to the camera lens, and

wherein the electronic display is configured to align particles contained within the electronic display to flare light transmitted through the electronic display to function as a streak filter.

2. The filter of claim 1, wherein the particles comprise liquid-crystals for filtering the image.

3. The filter of claim 1, wherein the electronic display includes one or more organic light-emitting diodes therein for filtering the image.

4. The filter of claim 1, further comprising a housing coupled to the electronic display, and wherein the controller and the input for receiving a control for controlling the controller are positioned within the housing.

5. The filter of claim 4, wherein the housing comprises at least a portion of a frame for the electronic display.

6. The filter of claim 1, wherein the electronic display is configured to removably couple to a matte box for coupling to the camera lens.

7. The filter of claim 1, wherein the electronic display includes a front surface, a rear surface, and one or more side surfaces, and the filter further comprises a housing positioned at the one or more side surfaces.

8. The filter of claim 1, wherein the electronic display includes one or more pixels.

9. The filter of claim 1, wherein the electronic display includes an array of pixels.

10. The filter of claim 1, wherein the electronic display is configured to filter the image on the object side of the electronic display by reducing the amount of light transmitted through the electronic display.

11. The filter of claim 1, wherein the electronic display is configured to filter the image on the object side of the electronic display by diffusing light transmitted through the electronic display.

12. The filter of claim 1, wherein the electronic display is configured to filter the image on the object side of the electronic display by emitting light that is overlaid upon the image.

13. The filter of claim 1, wherein the electronic display is configured to filter the image on the object side of the electronic display for all colors of the image substantially equally.

14. The filter of claim 1, wherein the portion of the image selected by the user to be filtered comprises a first portion, and the image includes a second portion, and the controller is configured to electrically control the filtering of the electronic display such that the first portion is filtered at the same time the second portion is not filtered.

15. The filter of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to electrically control the filtering of the electronic display such that the filtering of the electronic display varies such that the second portion is filtered at the same time the first portion is not filtered.

16. The filter of claim 1, wherein the input for receiving a control for controlling the controller comprises a wireless signal receiver.

17. A filter for a camera system, the filter comprising:

an electronic display configured to couple to a portion of the camera system in an optical path of a lens of the camera system and configured to filter an image on an object side of the electronic display for the camera system, the electronic display including particles contained within the electronic display and one or more organic light emitting diodes;

a controller configured to electrically control the filtering of the electronic display; and

an input for receiving a control for controlling the controller, and

wherein the electronic display is configured to align the particles contained within the electronic display to flare light transmitted through the electronic display to function as a streak filter.

18. The filter of claim 17, wherein the electronic display is configured to couple to the camera system between the lens of the camera system and an image receiver of the camera system.

19. The filter of claim 17, wherein the electronic display is configured to couple to the camera system at an object side of the lens of the camera system.

20. The filter of claim 17, wherein the electronic display is configured to filter the image on the object side of the electronic display by emitting light that is overlaid upon the image.

21. A camera system comprising:

a camera including a camera lens;

an electronic display configured to couple to an object side of the camera lens and configured to filter an image on an object side of the electronic display for the camera lens;

a sensor configured to detect the image provided to the camera lens;

a controller configured to electrically control the filtering of the electronic display and configured to receive an input from the sensor of the image provided to the camera lens; and

an input for receiving a control for controlling the controller,

wherein the controller is configured to receive a selection by a user of a portion of the image to be filtered, and the controller is configured to electrically control the filtering of the electronic display such that the portion of the image selected by the user to be filtered is filtered, and

wherein the electronic display is configured to align particles contained within the electronic display to flare light transmitted through the electronic display to function as a streak filter.

22. The camera system of claim 21, wherein the camera comprises a film camera or a digital camera.

23. The camera system of claim 21, further comprising a matte box, and wherein the electronic display, the controller, and the input for receiving a control for controlling the controller are coupled together as a unit that is configured to be removably coupled to the matte box.

24. The camera system of claim 21, wherein the electronic display includes one or more pixels.

25. The camera system of claim 21, wherein the electronic display includes liquid-crystals therein for filtering the image or one or more organic light-emitting diodes therein for filtering the image, or a combination thereof.

26. The camera system of claim 21, wherein the input for receiving a control for controlling the controller includes a display that displays the image received by the camera and is configured to receive the selection by the user of the portion of the image to be filtered.

27. The camera system of claim 21, wherein the particles comprise liquid-crystals for filtering the image.

28. A camera system comprising:

a camera including a camera lens;

an electronic display configured to couple to a portion of the camera system in an optical path of the camera lens and configured to filter an image on an object side of the electronic display for the camera system, the electronic display including particles contained within the electronic display and one or more organic light emitting diodes;

a controller configured to electrically control the filtering of the electronic display; and

an input for receiving a control for controlling the controller, and

wherein the electronic display is configured to align the particles contained within the electronic display to flare light transmitted through the electronic display to function as a streak filter.

29. The camera system of claim 28, wherein the electronic display is configured to couple to the camera system between the camera lens and an image receiver of the camera system.

30. The camera system of claim 28, wherein the electronic display is configured to couple to the camera system at an object side of the camera lens.

31. The camera system of claim 28, wherein the electronic display is configured to filter the image on the object side of the electronic display by emitting light that is overlaid upon the image.

32. A method comprising:

providing an electronic display on an object side of a camera lens, the electronic display configured to filter an image on an object side of the electronic display for the camera lens;

providing a controller configured to electrically control the filtering of the electronic display and configured to receive an input from a sensor of the image provided to the camera lens;

providing an input for receiving a control for controlling the controller;

receiving, with the controller, a selection by a user of a portion of the image to be filtered; and

controlling, with the controller, the filtering of the electronic display such that the portion of the image selected by the user to be filtered is filtered, and the filtering of the portion of the image selected by the user varies automatically based on the input provided to the controller from the sensor of the image provided to the camera lens, and

wherein the electronic display is configured to align particles contained within the electronic display to flare light transmitted through the electronic display to function as a streak filter.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the electronic display includes one or more pixels for filtering the image.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the electronic display includes liquid-crystals therein for filtering the image or one or more organic light-emitting diodes therein for filtering the image, or a combination thereof.

35. The method of claim 32, further comprising wirelessly transmitting a control to the electronic display to vary the filtering of the electronic display.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the particles comprise liquid-crystals for filtering the image.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the electronic display is configured to align the liquid-crystals horizontally to produce a horizontal flaring of the light transmitted through the electronic display or align the liquid-crystals radially to produce a radial flaring of the light transmitted through the electronic display.

38. A method of filtering an image for a camera system comprising:

filtering, with an electronic display positioned in an optical path of a lens of the camera system, the image on the object side of the electronic display for the camera system, the electronic display including particles contained within the electronic display and one or more organic light emitting diodes, and

wherein the electronic display is configured to align the particles contained within the electronic display to flare light transmitted through the electronic display to function as a streak filter.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising varying the filtering of the electronic display.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising dynamically varying the filtering of the electronic display.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein the electronic display includes one or more pixels for filtering the image.

42. The method of claim 38, wherein the electronic display is configured to filter the image on the object side of the electronic display by emitting light that is overlaid upon the image.