Capturing light-field images with uneven and/or incomplete angular sampling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10897608-B2
Application number	US-201816032261-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2018
Priority date	May 26, 2015
Publication date	Jan 19, 2021
Grant date	Jan 19, 2021

Abstract

A light-field camera may generate four-dimensional light-field data indicative of incoming light. The light-field camera may have an aperture configured to receive the incoming light, an image sensor, and a microlens array configured to redirect the incoming light at the image sensor. The image sensor may receive the incoming light and, based on the incoming light, generate the four-dimensional light-field data, which may have first and second spatial dimensions and first and second angular dimensions. The first angular dimension may have a first resolution higher than a second resolution of the second angular dimension.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A light-field camera comprising:
an aperture configured to receive incoming light and having a rectangular exit pupil;
an image sensor;
a microlens array disposed between the aperture and the image sensor, wherein the microlens array comprises a plurality of microlenses arranged in a plurality of rows, each row arranged at a non-zero acute angle relative to the rectangular exit pupil; and
wherein the image sensor is configured to generate light-field data based on the incoming light received through the microlens array.

2. The light-field camera of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of microlenses comprises a plurality of rectangular microlenses.

3. The light-field camera of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of microlenses comprises a plurality of circular microlenses.

4. The light-field camera of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of microlenses comprises a plurality of hexagonal microlenses.

5. The light-field camera of claim 1 , wherein a width of the rectangular exit pupil is greater than a length of the rectangular exit pupil.

6. The light-field camera of claim 1 , wherein the rectangular exit pupil is shared and oriented, relative to the microlens array, such that the incoming light received through the microlens array forms a tessellated pattern at the image sensor.

7. The light-field camera of claim 1 , further comprising:
a main lens through which the incoming light is to pass through prior to redirection by the microlens array.

8. The light-field camera of claim 1 , further comprising:
a masking system configured to position at least one of a plurality of masks proximate the aperture, wherein the masks define a plurality of exit pupils having a plurality of different shapes, each of which defines an exit pupil for the aperture, the plurality of exit pupils including the rectangular exit pupil.

9. A light-field camera comprising:
an aperture configured to receive incoming light and having a rectangular exit pupil;
an image sensor;
a microlens array disposed between the aperture and the image sensor, wherein the microlens array is rotated by a non-zero acute angle relative to the rectangular exit pupil; and
wherein the image sensor is configured to generate light-field data based on the incoming light received through the microlens array.

10. The light-field camera of claim 9 , wherein the microlens array comprises one of: a plurality of rectangular microlenses; a plurality of circular microlenses; and a plurality of hexagonal microlenses.

11. The light-field camera of claim 9 , wherein a width of the rectangular exit pupil is greater than a length of the rectangular exit pupil.

12. The light-field camera of claim 9 , wherein the rectangular exit pupil is shared and oriented, relative to the microlens array, such that the incoming light received through the microlens array forms a tessellated pattern at the image sensor.

13. The light-field camera of claim 9 , further comprising:
a main lens through which the incoming light is to pass through prior to redirection by the microlens array.

14. The light-field camera of claim 9 , further comprising:
a masking system configured to position at least one of a plurality of masks proximate the aperture, wherein the masks define a plurality of exit pupils having a plurality of different shapes, each of which defines an exit pupil for the aperture, the plurality of exit pupils including the rectangular exit pupil.

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Pitts Colvin
• Liang Chia-Kai
• Akeley Kurt

Classifications

• G02B30/10

  using integral imaging methods · CPC title

• G02B3/005 Primary

  arranged along a single direction only, e.g. lenticular sheets (G02B3/0043 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04N13/232

  using fly-eye lenses, e.g. arrangements of circular lenses · CPC title

• H04N13/218

  using spatial multiplexing · CPC title

• H04N13/229 Primary

  using lenticular lenses, e.g. arrangements of cylindrical lenses · CPC title