Simultaneous multiple field of view digital cameras

• US 7,916,180 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2007
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures II LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Protarius Filo AG LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Sun, Feng-Qing, Sato, Darryl L., Olsen, Richard Ian, Gates, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannett; James M
• Application Number:
  US11/788,279
• Publication Number:
  US 20080174670A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• Field of Search: 348/218.1
• US Class Current: 348/218.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14621 Colour filter arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14627 Microlenses
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14645 Colour imagers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02325 the optical elements not being integrated nor being directly associated with the device
• 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 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2624 for obtaining an image which is composed of whole input images, e.g. splitscreen

Abstract

Digital camera systems and methods are described that provide digital cameras configured to simultaneously acquire image data via multiple channels having different fields of view. The digital cameras include multiple channels coupled to a processing component. Each channel includes an optics component and an array of sensors or photo-detectors integrated on a semiconductor substrate. The channels include a first channel having a first field of view (FOV) and a second channel having a second FOV, and the second FOV is different than the first FOV. The processing component is configured to independently control simultaneous data acquisition with each of the channels, and to combine data from at least one channel during a frame to provide a high resolution image.

Claims

1. A digital camera comprising:

a plurality of channels, wherein each channel includes an optics component and an array of photo-detectors integrated on a semiconductor substrate, the plurality of channels including a first channel having a first field of view (FOV) comprising a first angular width of a scene imaged by the camera and a second channel having a second FOV comprising a second angular width of the scene imaged by the camera, wherein the first and second angular widths are different; and

a processing component coupled to the plurality of channels, the processing component configured to independently control simultaneous data acquisition with each of the plurality of channels, the processing component configured to combine data of a frame from at least one of the plurality of channels to provide an image having a relatively high resolution.

2. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the optics component of the first channel has a first focal length, and the array of photo-detectors of the first channel has a first dimension.

3. The digital camera of claim 2, wherein the optics component of the second channel has a second focal length that is different from the first focal length, and the array of photo-detectors of the second channel has the first dimension.

4. The digital camera of claim 2, wherein the optics component of the second channel has the first focal length, and the array of photo-detectors of the second channel has a second dimension that is different from the first dimension.

5. The digital camera of claim 2, wherein the optics component of the second channel has a second focal length that is different from the first focal length, and the array of photo-detectors of the second channel has a second dimension that is different from the first dimension.

6. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the plurality of channels comprises a third channel having a third FOV.

7. The digital camera of claim 6, wherein the third FOV is different from one or more of the first FOV and the second FOV.

8. The digital camera of claim 6, wherein the plurality of channels comprises a fourth channel having a fourth FOV.

9. The digital camera of claim 8, wherein the fourth FOV is different from one or more of the first FOV, the second FOV and the third FOV.

10. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the processing component is configured to separately and simultaneously control a parameter of the optics component of each channel.

11. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the optics component of the first channel includes a different configuration than the optics component of the second channel.

12. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the optics component includes at least one lens.

13. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the optics component includes at least one filter.

14. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein each channel is configured to pass light including a plurality of colors.

15. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the first channel is configured to pass light of a first color and the second channel is configured to pass light of a second color.

16. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the plurality of channels are configured to pass light of a first color.

38. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the processing component is further configured to generate a combined image based at least in part on data from both the first and second channels.

39. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the first FOV overlaps with at least a portion of the second FOV.

17. A digital camera comprising:

a first channel including a first optics component and a first image sensor integrated in a semiconductor substrate and configured to provide a first field of view (FOV) that comprises a first angular width of a scene imaged by the camera;

a second channel including a second optics component and a second image sensor integrated in the semiconductor substrate and configured to provide a second FOV that comprises a second angular width of the scene imaged by the camera, wherein the first and second angular widths are different; and

a processing component coupled to the first and second channels and configured to independently control simultaneous data acquisition with the first and second channels during a frame.

18. The digital camera of claim 17, wherein the first optics component has a first focal length, and the first image sensor has a first pixel count.

19. The digital camera of claim 18, wherein the second optics component has a second focal length that is different from the first focal length, and the second image sensor has the first pixel count.

20. The digital camera of claim 18, wherein the second optics component has the first focal length, and the second image sensor has a second pixel count that is different from the first pixel count.

21. The digital camera of claim 18, wherein the second optics component has a second focal length that is different from the first focal length, and the second image sensor has a second pixel count that is different from the first pixel count.

22. A method comprising:

configuring a first optics component relative to a first image sensor to form a first channel having a first field of view (FOV) that comprises a first angular width of a scene;

configuring a second optics component relative to a second image sensor to form a second channel having a second FOV that comprises a second angular width of the scene, wherein the first and second angular widths are different;

independently controlling simultaneous data acquisition with each of the first and second channels during a frame; and

combining data received during the frame from one or more of the first and second channels to provide an image.

23. The method of claim 22, comprising forming the first image sensor and the second image sensor in a semiconductor substrate.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein configuring the first optics component relative to the first image sensor comprises configuring the first optics component with a first focal length and configuring the first image sensor to include a first pixel count.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein configuring the second optics component relative to the second image sensor comprises configuring the second optics component with a second focal length that is different than the first focal length and configuring the second image sensor to include the first pixel count.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein configuring the second optics component relative to the second image sensor comprises configuring the second optics component with the first focal length and configuring the second image sensor to include a second pixel count that is different than the first pixel count.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein configuring the second optics component relative to the second image sensor comprises configuring the second optics component with a second focal length that is different from the first focal length and configuring the second image sensor to include a second pixel count that is different than the first pixel count.

28. The method of claim 22, comprising configuring a third optics component relative to a third image sensor to form a third channel having a third FOV, wherein the third FOV is different from one or more of the first FOV and the second FOV.

29. The method of claim 28, comprising forming the third image sensor in a semiconductor substrate along with the first and the second image sensors.

30. The method of claim 28, comprising configuring a fourth optics component relative to a fourth image sensor to form a fourth channel having a fourth FOV, wherein the fourth FOV is different from one or more of the first FOV, the second FOV and the third FOV.

31. The method of claim 30, comprising forming the fourth image sensor in a semiconductor substrate along with the first, the second and the third image sensors.

32. The method of claim 22, comprising separately and simultaneously controlling a parameter of one or more of the first and the second optics components.

33. The method of claim 22, wherein configuring the first optics component includes configuring the first optics component differently than the second optics component.

34. The method of claim 22, wherein configuring the first optics component includes configuring the first optics component to pass light of a same color as the second optics component.

35. The method of claim 22, wherein configuring the first optics component includes configuring the first optics component to pass light of a different color than the second optics component.

36. A method comprising:

forming a first image sensor and a second image sensor in a semiconductor substrate;

configuring a first optics component relative to the first image sensor to form a first channel having a first field of view (FOV) that comprises a first angular width of a scene;

configuring a second optics component relative to the second image sensor to form a second channel having a second FOV that comprises a second angular width of the scene, wherein the first and second angular widths are different; and

forming a processing component in the semiconductor substrate and configuring the processing component to independently control simultaneous data acquisition by the first and second channels during a frame.

37. A solid-state camera system produced according to a method comprising:

forming a first image sensor and a second image sensor in a semiconductor substrate;

configuring a first optics component relative to the first image sensor to form a first channel having a first field of view (FOV) that corresponds to a first angular width of a scene;

configuring a second optics component relative to the second image sensor to form a second channel having a second FOV that corresponds to a second angular width of the scene, wherein the first and second angular widths are different; and

forming a processing component in the semiconductor substrate and configuring the processing component to independently control simultaneous data acquisition by the first and second channels during a frame.