Optical elements, related manufacturing methods and assemblies incorporating optical elements

• US 20050041313A1
• Filed: 08/18/2004
• Published: 02/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Stam, Joseph S., Bechtel, Jon H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,321,112 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/877
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1013 for colour or multispectral image sensors, e.g. splitting an image into monochromatic image components on respective sensors spectral imaging systems G01J
• 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 27/123 The splitting element being a lens or a system of lenses, including arrays and surfaces with refractive power
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/126 The splitting element being a prism or prismatic array, including systems based on total internal reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0006 Arrays G02B3/02, G02B5/188 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14621 Colour filter arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14625 Optical elements or arrangements associated with the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/134 based on three different wavelength filter elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/41 Extracting pixel data from a plurality of image sensors simultaneously picking up an image, e.g. for increasing the field of view by combining the outputs of a plurality of sensors

Abstract

The present invention relates to various optical elements, related manufacturing methods and systems incorporating the optical elements.

Claims

1. A vehicle system, comprising:

at least one lens configured for light sensing applications and further configured to project first oriented light rays associated with a scene through a lens element, said lens element is configured to split said first oriented light rays to form two or more spatially dispersed images on an image plane of an image sensor.

2. A vehicle system as in claim 1 wherein said image sensor comprises an array of pixels.

3. A vehicle system as in claim 2 wherein at least one patterned spectral filter is positioned between said lens element and said image sensor.

4. A vehicle system as in claim 3 wherein said spectral filter defines one of a group of patterns comprising:

a checkerboard pattern, an RGB pattern, a Bayer pattern and a striped pattern.

5. A vehicle system as in claim 3 wherein said two or more spatially dispersed images are configured as a function of said patterned spectral filter.

6. A vehicle system as in claim 3 wherein said spectral filter comprises at least one color selected from a group comprising:

red, cyan, blue, green, blue-green, amber, infrared and ultra violet.

7. A vehicle system as in claim 1 wherein said lens element is configured to split said first oriented light rays to form three or more spatially dispersed images.

8. A vehicle system as in claim 1 wherein said lens element is configured to split said first oriented light rays to form four or more spatially dispersed images.

9. A vehicle system as in claim 1 wherein said two or more spatially dispersed images are linearly aligned.

10. A vehicle system as in claim 1 wherein said two or more spatially dispersed images define a checkerboard pattern with respect to one another.

11. A vehicle system as in claim 1 configured to function as an automatic exterior light control system, a moisture sensing system, a windshield wiper control, a defroster control, a defogger control, a lane departure detection system, a lane departure warning system, a security system, a vision system, a rear vision system, an occupancy detection system, a monitoring system, a collision avoidance system, an accident recreation system and an image acquisition system.

12. A vehicle system, comprising:

at least one lens configured for light sensing applications and further configured to project two or more spatially dispersed images upon an image plane of an image sensor, wherein said two or more spatially dispersed images are configured as a function of a patterned spectral filter positioned between said lens and said image sensor.

13. A vehicle system as in claim 12 wherein said spectral filter defines one of a group of patterns comprising:

a checkerboard pattern, an RGB pattern, a Bayer pattern and a striped pattern.

14. A vehicle system as in claim 12 wherein said spectral filter comprises at least one color selected from a group comprising:

red, cyan, blue, green, blue-green, amber, infrared and ultra violet.

15. A vehicle system as in claim 12 wherein said lens element is configured to split said first image into three or more spatially dispersed images.

16. A vehicle system as in claim 12 wherein said lens element is configured to split said first image into four or more spatially dispersed images.

17. A vehicle system as in claim 12 wherein said spatially dispersed images are linearly aligned.

18. A vehicle system as in claim 12 wherein said spatially dispersed images define a checkerboard pattern with respect to one another.

19. A vehicle system as in claim 12 configured to function as an automatic exterior light control system, a moisture sensing system, a windshield wiper control, a defroster control, a defogger control, a lane departure detection system, a lane departure warning system, a security system, a vision system, a rear vision system, an occupancy detection system, a monitoring system, a collision avoidance system, an accident recreation system and an image acquisition system.

20. A vehicle system, comprising:

a lens configured to project light rays associated with a scene upon an image plane of an imager sensor such that at least three substantially similar, spatially dispersed images are defined at said image plane.

21. A vehicle system as in claim 20 wherein said image sensor comprises an array of pixels.

22. A vehicle system as in claim 21 wherein at least one patterned spectral filter is positioned between said lens element and said image sensor.

23. A vehicle system as in claim 22 wherein said spectral filter defines one of a group of patterns comprising:

a checkerboard pattern, an RGB pattern, a Bayer pattern and a striped pattern.

24. A vehicle system as in claim 22 wherein said two or more spatially dispersed images are configured as a function of said patterned spectral filter.

25. A vehicle system as in claim 22 wherein said spectral filter comprises at least one color selected from a group comprising:

red, cyan, blue, green, blue-green, amber, infrared and ultra violet.

26. A vehicle system as in claim 20 wherein said lens element is configured to split said first image into three or more spatially dispersed images.

27. A vehicle system as in claim 20 wherein said lens element is configured to split said first image into four or more spatially dispersed images.

28. A vehicle system as in claim 20 wherein said spatially dispersed images are linearly aligned.

29. A vehicle system as in claim 20 wherein said spatially dispersed images define a checkerboard pattern with respect to one another.

30. A vehicle system as in claim 20 configured to function as an automatic exterior light control system, a moisture sensing system, a windshield wiper control, a defroster control, a defogger control, a lane departure detection system, a lane departure warning system, a security system, a vision system, a rear vision system, an occupancy detection system, a monitoring system, a collision avoidance system, an accident recreation system and an image acquisition system.

31. A vehicle system, comprising:

a lens configured to project light rays associated with a scene upon an image plane of an imager sensor such that at least two substantially similar, spatially dispersed images are defined at said image plane, said lens is further configured such that each of said at least two substantially similar, spatially dispersed images comprises at least two vertically and, or, horizontally misaligned segments.

32. A vehicle system as in claim 31 wherein said image sensor comprises an array of pixels.

33. A vehicle system as in claim 32 wherein at least one patterned spectral filter is positioned between said lens element and said image sensor.

34. A vehicle system as in claim 33 wherein said spectral filter defines one of a group of patterns comprising:

a checkerboard pattern, an RGB pattern, a Bayer pattern and a striped pattern.

35. A vehicle system as in claim 33 wherein said two or more spatially dispersed images are configured as a function of said patterned spectral filter.

36. A vehicle system as in claim 33 wherein said spectral filter comprises at least one color selected from a group comprising:

red, cyan, blue, green, blue-green, amber, infrared and ultra violet.

37. A vehicle system as in claim 31 wherein said lens element is configured to split said first image into three or more spatially dispersed images.

38. A vehicle system as in claim 31 wherein said lens element is configured to split said first image into four or more spatially dispersed images.

39. A vehicle system as in claim 31 wherein said spatially dispersed images are linearly aligned.

40. A vehicle system as in claim 31 wherein said spatially dispersed images define a checkerboard pattern with respect to one another.

41. A vehicle system as in claim 31 configured to function as an automatic exterior light control system, a moisture sensing system, a windshield wiper control, a defroster control, a defogger control, a lane departure detection system, a lane departure warning system, a security system, a vision system, a rear vision system, an occupancy detection system, a monitoring system, a collision avoidance system, an accident recreation system and an image acquisition system.

42. A vehicle system, comprising:

an optical element configured to project light rays associated with a scene upon an image plane of an image sensor, said image sensor comprising an array of pixels;

a patterned spectral filter positioned between said light rays and said image sensor, said optical element is further configured to direct said light rays such that substantially all of the light rays passing through a predetermined spectral band of said patterned spectral filter impose upon only a desired pixel or pixels.

43. A vehicle system as in claim 42 wherein substantially all light rays are redirected such that light ray incidence angles at a plane defined by said patterned spectral filter are less than an angle defined by an adjacent side comprising a length equal to the perpendicular distance from said patterned spectral filter to a passivation plane defined by an active pixel surface and an opposite side comprising a length equal to a parallel distance from an edge of a pixel to a closest active pixel surface.

44. A vehicle system as in claim 42 wherein said image sensor comprises an array of pixels.

45. A vehicle system as in claim 43 wherein said at least one patterned spectral filter is positioned between said lens element and said image sensor.

46. A vehicle system as in claim 44 wherein said patterned spectral filter defines one of a group of patterns comprising:

a checkerboard pattern, a RGB pattern, a Bayer pattern and a striped pattern.

47. A vehicle system as in claim 44 wherein two or more stratified images are defined as a function of said patterned spectral filter.

48. A vehicle system as in claim 44 wherein said spectral filter comprises at least one color selected from a group comprising:

red, cyan, blue, green, blue-green, amber, infrared and ultra violet.

49. A vehicle system as in claim 42 wherein said optical element is configured to split said first oriented light rays to form three or more stratified images.

50. A vehicle system as in claim 42 wherein said optical element is configured to split said first oriented light rays to form four or more stratified images.

51. A vehicle system as in claim 42 wherein two or more stratified images are linearly defined.

52. A vehicle system as in claim 42 wherein two or more spatially dispersed images define a checkerboard pattern with respect to one another.

53. A vehicle system as in claim 42 configured to function as an automatic exterior light control system, a moisture sensing system, a windshield wiper control, a defroster control, a defogger control, a lane departure detection system, a lane departure warning system, a security system, a vision system, a rear vision system, an occupancy detection system, a monitoring system, a collision avoidance system, an accident recreation system and an image acquisition system.

54. A vehicle system, comprising:

at least one lens configured for light sensing applications and further configured to project first oriented light rays associated with a scene to form two or more stratified images on an image plane of an image sensor.

55. A vehicle system as in claim 54 wherein said image sensor comprises an array of pixels.

56. A vehicle system as in claim 55 wherein at least one patterned spectral filter is positioned between said lens element and said image sensor.

57. A vehicle system as in claim 56 wherein said patterned spectral filter defines one of a group of patterns comprising:

a checkerboard pattern, an RGB pattern, a Bayer pattern and a striped pattern.

58. A vehicle system as in claim 56 wherein said two or more stratified images are configured as a function of said patterned spectral filter.

59. A vehicle system as in claim 56 wherein said patterned spectral filter comprises at least one color selected from a group comprising:

red, cyan, blue, green, blue-green, amber, infrared and ultra violet.

60. A vehicle system as in claim 54 wherein said lens element is configured to split said first oriented light rays to form three or more stratified images.

61. A vehicle system as in claim 54 wherein said lens element is configured to split said first oriented light rays to form four or more stratified images.

62. A vehicle system as in claim 54 wherein said two or more stratified images are linearly aligned.

63. A vehicle system as in claim 54 wherein said two or more stratified images define a checkerboard pattern with respect to one another.

64. A vehicle system as in claim 54 configured to function as an automatic exterior light control system, a moisture sensing system, a windshield wiper control, a defroster control, a defogger control, a lane departure detection system, a lane departure warning system, a security system, a vision system, a rear vision system, an occupancy detection system, a monitoring system, a collision avoidance system, an accident recreation system and an image acquisition system.