Multi-camera system using folded optics

• US 9,838,601 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2016
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Georgiev, Todor Georgiev, Osborne, Thomas Wesley, Goma, Sergiu Radu
• Primary Examiner(s): Jerabek, Kelly L
• Application Number:
  US15/183,043
• Publication Number:
  US 20160295112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• Field of Search: 348 36, 348 38- 39, 3482181, 348239, 348262
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/0065 having a beam-folding prism or mirror
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4038 Image mosaicing, e.g. composing plane images from plane sub-images
• 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 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• 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 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

Described herein are methods and devices that employ a plurality of image sensors to capture a target image of a scene. As described, positioning at least one reflective or refractive surface near the plurality of image sensors enables the sensors to capture together an image of wider field of view and longer focal length than any sensor could capture individually by using the reflective or refractive surface to guide a portion of the image scene to each sensor. The different portions of the scene captured by the sensors may overlap, and may be aligned and cropped to generate the target image.

Claims

1. An image capture system for capturing an image of a target scene, the system comprising:

a first lens positioned to focus light received from the target scene; and

a plurality of cameras positioned to capture image data representing a plurality of portions of the target scene,

wherein each of the plurality of cameras comprises

a first optical axis, wherein the first lens is positioned along the first optical axis,

a primary surface positioned so as to receive light comprising one of the plurality of portions of the target scene propagating along the first optical axis and direct the received light along a second optical axis, wherein the first lens is positioned between the primary surface and the target scene,

a lens assembly comprising at least a second lens, the lens assembly positioned to receive and refract the light propagating along the second optical axis, and

an image sensor positioned to receive the light from the lens assembly, the sensor configured to capture a portion of the image data representing the one of the plurality of portions.

2. The image capture system of claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to generate the image of the target scene based at least partly on each of the plurality of portions of the target scene.

3. The image capture system of claim 2, further comprising a memory storing instructions that configure the processor to generate the image of the target scene based at least partly on the captured image data.

4. The image capture system of claim 1, each of the plurality of cameras further comprising a secondary surface positioned to reflect light from the second optical axis to a third optical axis toward the image sensor, wherein the lens assembly is positioned between the primary surface and the secondary surface.

5. The image capture system of claim 1, further comprising a substantially flat substrate, wherein the image sensor of each of the plurality of cameras is positioned on the substantially flat substrate.

6. The image capture system of claim 5, wherein the image sensors of the plurality of cameras are arranged in two rows on the substrate, and wherein the primary surface of each of the plurality of cameras is positioned between the two rows.

7. The image capture system of claim 5, wherein the image sensor of each of the plurality of cameras are arranged in a circular configuration on the substrate, the primary surface of each of the plurality of cameras positioned at a central area of the circular configuration.

8. The image capture system of claim 1, further comprising a prism comprising a plurality of facets, the prism positioned at a center of the plurality of cameras, wherein each of the plurality of facets comprises the primary surface of a different one of the plurality of cameras.

9. The image capture system of claim 1, wherein the primary surface of each of the plurality of cameras comprises a reflective mirror.

10. A camera comprising:

a plurality of sensors for generating image data of a target scene from light received on a surface of each image sensor; and

a folded lens system comprising a plurality of optical elements arranged along a plurality of light paths, each light path associated with a sensor of the plurality of sensors, each of the plurality of light paths having a first and second optical axes, the plurality of optical elements including, in each of the plurality of light paths,

a first lens positioned along the first optical axis, the first lens operable to focus light received along the first optical axis from the target scene,

a light path folding element positioned to receive the light from the first lens propagating along the first optical axis and to redirect the received light along the second optical axis, and

a lens assembly comprising at least a second lens, the lens assembly positioned to receive and refract the light propagating along the second optical axis and focus the light directed toward the image sensor,

wherein the plurality of sensors are positioned to capture image data representing a plurality of portions of the target scene, wherein in each of the plurality of light paths, the first lens is positioned between the light path folding element and the target scene.

11. The camera of claim 10, wherein the folded lens system provides the camera with a low profile without shortening a focal length of the camera.

12. The camera of claim 11, wherein the low profile height is 3.9 mm and wherein the focal length is 3.57 mm when the folded lens system is focused at infinity.

13. The camera of claim 10, wherein the light path folding element comprises a reflective mirror.

14. The camera of claim 10, wherein the light path folding element comprises a surface of a refractive prism.

15. The camera of claim 10, wherein the plurality of optical elements arranged in each of the plurality of light paths further comprises a diaphragm.

16. The camera of claim 15, wherein in each of the plurality of light paths the diaphragm is positioned between the light path folding element and the lens assembly.

17. The camera of claim 15, wherein in each of the plurality of light paths the diaphragm is positioned between the first lens and the second lens.

18. The camera of claim 10, wherein a back focal length of the folded lens system is 2 mm.

19. The camera of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of sensors is positioned to receive light from one of the plurality of light paths.

20. The camera of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of light paths of the folded lens system further comprises a secondary light folding surface positioned to receive the light from the lens assembly along the second optical axis and redirect the light onto a third optical axis toward the image sensor.

21. A method, comprising:

receiving light through a first lens from a target scene;

propagating a portion of the light along a first optical axis of each of a plurality of cameras, the plurality of cameras positioned to capture image data representing a plurality of portions of the target scene;

for each of the plurality of cameras,

receiving the light, propagating along the first optical axis, on a primary surface of the camera, the light received on the primary surface light comprising one of the plurality of portions of the target scene, wherein the first lens is positioned between the primary surface and the target scene;

directing the light received on the primary surface along a second optical axis to a lens assembly comprising at least a second lens;

refracting and propagating the light received at the lens assembly to an image sensor positioned to receive the light from the lens assembly, the sensor configured to capture a portion of the image data representing the one of the plurality of portions.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising generating, with a processor, an image of the target scene from each of the plurality of portions of the target scene captured by the image sensor of each of the plurality of cameras.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising

for each of the plurality of cameras,

receiving light propagating from the lens assembly on a secondary surface positioned along the second optical axis;

directing light from the secondary surface along a third optical axis to the image sensor.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the image sensors of the plurality of cameras are positioned on a substantially flat substrate.

25. The method claim 24, wherein the image sensors of the plurality of cameras are arranged in two rows on the substrate, and wherein the primary surface of each of the plurality of cameras is positioned between the two rows.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the image sensor of each of the plurality of cameras is arranged in a circular configuration on the substrate, and the primary surface of each of the plurality of cameras is positioned at a central area of the circular configuration.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the primary surface of each of the plurality of cameras is a different facet of a prism positioned at a center of the plurality of cameras.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the primary surface of each of the plurality of cameras comprises a reflective mirror.