Imaging device with blur reduction system

• US 20070064144A1
• Filed: 09/21/2005
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aptina Imaging Corporation (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aptina Imaging Corporation (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Inventors: Trutna, William, Cooper, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,598,979 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/335
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6811 based on the image signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/685 performed by mechanical compensation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/00 Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof

Abstract

An imaging device having a lens focusing light from a selected scene within an optical footprint, and a substrate including a primary array and at least one navigation array which are positioned within the optical footprint. The primary array acquires a desired image of a portion of the selected scene during an integration period and the at least one navigation array acquires a series of images during the integration period, including a first and a second image having common features from the selected scene. A correlator determines location differences of the common features of the first and second images relative to the at least one navigation array and provides a displacement signal indicative of imaging device translation in two planar dimensions during an interval between the first and second images based on the location differences.

Claims

1. An imaging device comprising:

a lens configured to focus light from a selected scene within an optical footprint;

a substrate including;

a primary array configured to acquire a desired image of a portion of the selected scene during an integration period; and

at least one navigation array configured to acquire a series of images during the integration period including a first and a second image having common features from the selected scene, wherein the imaging array and the at least one navigation array are positioned within the optical footprint;

a correlator configured to receive the series of images from the at least one navigation array, to determine location differences of the common features of the first and second images relative to the at least one navigation array, and to provide a displacement signal indicative of imaging device translation in two planar dimensions during an interval between the first and second images based on the location differences; and

a compensator configured to opto-mechanically maintain a substantially fixed relationship between the selected scene and the primary and at least one navigation arrays based on the displacement signals.

2. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the primary array and at least one navigation array comprise separate arrays each having associated readout circuitry.

3. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein pixels of the at least one navigation array are readout at a rate that is from ten to one hundred times faster than pixels of the primary array.

4. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the at least one navigation array has a lower spatial resolution than the primary array.

5. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the at least one navigation array comprises a black and white array.

6. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the at least one navigation array includes a first navigation array configured to acquire a first series of images and a second navigation array configured to acquire a second series of images during the integration period, the first and second series each including a first and second image having common features from the selected scene.

7. The imaging device of claim 6, wherein the correlator is configured to provide a displacement signal indicative of translation and rotation of the imaging device the two planar dimensions based on location differences of the common features of the first and second images of the first series relative to the first navigation array and on location difference of the common features of the first and second images of the second series relative to the second navigation array.

8. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the at least one navigation comprises a subset of the primary array with each sharing common readout circuitry.

9. The imaging device of claim 8, wherein accumulated charges of each pixel of the at least one navigation array are readout during the integration period of the primary array and summed to form pixel values for corresponding pixels of the desired image.

10. The imaging device of claim 8, wherein only pixels in the primary array include color filters.

11. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the at least one navigation array comprises a plurality of navigation arrays positioned in the substrate within the optical footprint.

12. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the compensator comprises a moveable flexure stage on which the substrate is positioned.

13. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the compensator comprises a moveable lens positioned between the lens and the optical footprint.

14. A method of operating an imaging device receiving light from a selected scene within an optical footprint;

providing a primary array and at least one navigation array on a same substrate, wherein the imaging array and the at least one navigation array are positioned within the optical footprint;

acquiring with the primary array a desired image of a portion of the selected scene during an integration period;

acquiring with the at least one navigation array a series of images during the integration period, the series including a first and a second image having common features from the selected scene;

determining location differences of the common features of the first and second images relative to the at least one navigation array;

providing a displacement signal indicative of imaging device translation in two planar dimensions during an interval between the first and second images based on the location differences; and

opto-mechanically maintaining a substantially fixed relationship between the selected scene and the primary and at least one navigation arrays based on the displacement signals.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein providing the primary array and at least one navigation array includes providing the primary array and at least one navigation array as separate arrays on the substrate.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein providing the at least one navigation array includes providing the at least one navigation array as a subset of the primary navigation array.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein providing the at least one navigation array includes providing a first and a second navigation array each acquiring during the integration period a series of images including a first and a second image having common features from the selected scene.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein determining location differences includes determining location differences of the common features of the first and second images of the first series relative to the first navigation array and location differences of the common features of the first and second images of the second series relative to the second navigation array.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein providing a displacement signal based on the location differences includes providing a displacement signal indicative of imaging device translation and rotation in two planar dimensions,

20. An imaging device comprising:

means for receiving light from a selected scene;

means, on a substrate, for acquiring a desired image of a portion of the selected scene during an exposure period;

means, on the substrate, for acquiring a series of images during the exposure period, the series including a first and a second image having common features from the selected scene;

means for determining location differences of the common features of the first and second images; and

means for maintaining a substantially fixed relationship between the selected scene and the substrate based on the location differences.

21. The imaging device of claim 20, including means for providing a displacement signal indicative of imaging device translation in two planar dimensions during an interval between the first and second images based on the location differences, wherein maintaining the substantially fixed relationship between the selected scene and the substrate is based on the displacement signal.