Image sensor modules including primary high-resolution imagers and secondary imagers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11575843-B2
Application number	US-202017013287-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 4, 2020
Priority date	Feb 25, 2014
Publication date	Feb 7, 2023
Grant date	Feb 7, 2023

Abstract

Image sensor modules include primary high-resolution imagers and secondary imagers. For example, an image sensor module may include a semiconductor chip including photosensitive regions defining, respectively, a primary camera and a secondary camera. The image sensor module may include an optical assembly that does not substantially obstruct the field-of-view of the secondary camera. Some modules include multiple secondary cameras that have a field-of-view at least as large as the field-of-view of the primary camera. Various features are described to facilitate acquisition of signals that can be used to calculate depth information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device comprising:
an image sensor module including a semiconductor chip having photosensitive regions corresponding, respectively, to a primary camera and at least one secondary camera; and
processing circuitry coupled to receive signals from the primary camera and the at least one secondary camera,
wherein the processing circuitry is adapted to acquire high-resolution image data based on the signals from the primary camera and to acquire depth data based on the signals from the least one secondary camera, and
wherein the device is configured to:
acquire a high-resolution image using the primary camera,
acquire lower-resolution images using a plurality of secondary cameras, wherein each secondary camera has a respective field-of-view that is less than a field-of-view of the primary camera, and wherein a collective field-of-view of the secondary cameras encompasses the field-of-view of the primary camera,
processes an image from a first one of the secondary cameras together with the image from the primary camera to obtain a first partial image that includes depth information,
process an image from a second one of the secondary cameras together with the image from the primary camera to obtain a second partial image that includes depth information, and
combine the first and second partial images to obtain a reconstructed image that includes depth information.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the semiconductor chip has photosensitive regions corresponding, respectively, to a plurality of secondary cameras, and wherein the processing circuitry is adapted to acquire the depth data based on signals from a plurality of the secondary cameras.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the processing circuitry is adapted to acquire the depth data based on signals from the primary camera in conjunction with signals from one the secondary cameras.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the semiconductor chip has photosensitive regions corresponding, respectively, to a plurality of secondary cameras, and wherein the processing circuitry is adapted to acquire depth data based on signals from a plurality of secondary cameras and to acquire depth data based on signals from the primary camera in conjunction with signals from one or more of the secondary cameras.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the semiconductor chip has photosensitive regions corresponding, respectively, to a plurality of secondary cameras,
wherein the primary camera has a field-of-view and each secondary camera has a respective field-of-view, and
wherein the secondary cameras have a combined field-of-view that is at least as wide as the field-of-view of the primary camera.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the image sensor module includes a plurality of secondary cameras, wherein different ones of the secondary cameras, respectively, have different wavelength filters, polarization filters and/or apertures sizes associated with them.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the primary camera is RGB-sensitive and the at least one secondary camera is IR-sensitive.

8. The device of claim 7 further including an IR light pattern projection unit.

9. The device of claim 1 further including a light projection unit, wherein the at least one secondary camera is sensitive to light generated by the light projection unit.

Assignees

• Ams Sensors Singapore Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Alasirnio Jukka
• Senn Tobias
• Meitav Ohad
• Doron Moshe
• Yasan Alireza
• Cesana Mario
• Cutu Florin
• Rudmann Hartmut
• Rossi Markus
• Roentgen Peter
• Perez Calero Daniel
• Hallal Bassam
• Geiger Jens

Classifications

• G03B35/08

  by simultaneous recording · CPC title

• G02B13/0085

  employing wafer level optics · CPC title

• G03B17/12

  with means for supporting objectives, supplementary lenses, filters, masks, or turrets · CPC title

• H04N23/56

  provided with illuminating means · CPC title

• H04N23/54

  Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils · CPC title