Image sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11825192-B2
Application number	US-202017604620-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2020
Priority date	Apr 26, 2019
Publication date	Nov 21, 2023
Grant date	Nov 21, 2023

Abstract

An image sensor includes a body module including a refractive power controller that adjusts an application voltage applicable to a liquid lens in a lens module to control a refractive power of the liquid lens, a recognition processor that analyzes, after a preset period elapses from when the refractive power controller changes the application voltage to the liquid lens, image data from an imaging device in an imaging module, and an adjuster that reads first information from a memory in the lens module and second information from a memory in the imaging module and adjusts, based on the first and second information, the preset period to a period corresponding to a combination of the lens module and the imaging device. The first information indicates a specification for or a type of the lens module. The second information indicates a specification for or a type of the imaging device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An image sensor, comprising:
a body module to which a lens module and an imaging module are attachable, the body module including
a refractive power controller configured to adjust an application voltage applicable to a liquid lens included in the lens module to control a refractive power of the liquid lens,
a recognition processor configured to analyze image data from an imaging device included in the imaging module to recognize predetermined information about a subject, the recognition processor being configured to analyze the image data after a preset period elapses from when the refractive power controller changes the application voltage to the liquid lens, and
an adjuster configured to read first information from a memory included in the lens module and second information from a memory included in the imaging module and adjust, based on the read first information and the read second information, the preset period to a period corresponding to a combination of the lens module and the imaging device, the first information indicating a specification for the lens module or a type of the lens module, the second information indicating a specification for the imaging device or a type of the imaging device.

2. The image sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
the first information includes blur circle diameter information indicating a change in a blur circle diameter with time after the application voltage is applied to the liquid lens,
the second information includes pixel pitch information indicating a pixel pitch of the imaging device, and
the adjuster determines, based on the obtained blur circle diameter information and the obtained pixel pitch information, an elapsed period after the application voltage is applied to allow the blur circle diameter to be smaller than or equal to the pixel pitch indicated by the pixel pitch information, and adjusts the preset period based on the determined elapsed period.

3. The image sensor according to claim 2 , wherein
the blur circle diameter information includes one or more coefficients in a relational expression indicating the change in the blur circle diameter with time after the application voltage is applied to the liquid lens.

4. The image sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
the first information includes lens module format information indicating a format of the lens module, and
the second information includes imaging module format information indicating a format of the imaging module.

5. The image sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
the adjuster transmits a predetermined request including the first information and the second information to an external device, obtains a period recommended as the preset period from the external device, and adjusts the preset period to the obtained recommended period.

6. The image sensor according to claim 1 , wherein
the body module includes a storage storing a period recommended as the preset period for each of a plurality of combinations of the first information and the second information, and
the adjuster in the body module reads, from the storage, the recommended period associated with one of the plurality of combinations of the first information and the second information, and adjusts the preset period to the read recommended period.

7. The image sensor according to claim 4 , wherein
the adjuster transmits a predetermined request including the first information and the second information to an external device, obtains a period recommended as the preset period from the external device, and adjusts the preset period to the obtained recommended period.

8. The image sensor according to claim 4 , wherein
the body module includes a storage storing a period recommended as the preset period for each of a plurality of combinations of the first information and the second information, and
the adjuster in the body module reads, from the storage, the recommended period associated with one of the plurality of combinations of the first information and the second information, and adjusts the preset period to the read recommended period.

Assignees

• Omron Tateisi Electronics Co

Inventors

• Watanabe Kosuke
• UETSUJI Yasuhito

Classifications

• H04N23/64 Primary

  Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image · CPC title

• G02B3/14 Primary

  of variable focal length · CPC title

• G06T1/60

  Memory management · CPC title

• G06T7/62

  of area, perimeter, diameter or volume · CPC title

• H04N23/54

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