Spectral camera and electronic device including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12359969-B2
Application number	US-202318120781-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2023
Priority date	Sep 15, 2022
Publication date	Jul 15, 2025
Grant date	Jul 15, 2025

Abstract

Provided are a spectral camera and an electronic apparatus including the same. The spectral camera includes an image sensor including a plurality of channels configured to detect a plurality of central wavelengths; an optical module configured to be movable with respect to the image sensor to provide an image of an object on the image sensor; a memory configured to store first information about a change in an optical characteristic of each of the plurality of channels in the image sensor, the change in the optical characteristic of each of the plurality of channels corresponding to a movement of the optical module; and a processor configured to: obtain the first information from the memory, obtain second information corresponding to the plurality of central wavelengths detected by the image sensor, and obtain third information by correcting the second information based on the first information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A spectral camera comprising:
an image sensor comprising a plurality of channels configured to detect a plurality of central wavelengths;
an optical module configured to be movable with respect to the image sensor to provide an image of an object on the image sensor;
a memory configured to store first information about a change in an optical characteristic of each of the plurality of channels in the image sensor, the change in the optical characteristic of each of the plurality of channels corresponding to a movement of the optical module; and
a processor configured to:
obtain the first information from the memory,
obtain second information corresponding to the plurality of central wavelengths detected by the image sensor, and
obtain third information by correcting the second information based on the first information.

2. The spectral camera of claim 1 , wherein the change in the optical characteristic of each of the plurality of channels in the image sensor is generated based on a change of a chief ray angle (CRA) of light incident on each channel of the image sensor.

3. The spectral camera of claim 1 , further comprising a driver configured to move the optical module with respect to the image sensor.

4. The spectral camera of claim 3 , wherein the processor is further configured to control the driver.

5. The spectral camera of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of channels comprises at least three channels detecting central wavelengths different from one another.

6. The spectral camera of claim 1 , further comprising a hyperspectral camera or a multispectral camera.

7. The spectral camera of claim 1 , wherein the image sensor further comprises:
a spectral filter comprising a plurality of unit filters having different central wavelengths; and
a pixel array comprising a plurality of pixels on which light that has passed through the plurality of unit filters is incident.

8. The spectral camera of claim 1 , wherein the memory is further configured to store the first information in a form of a profile obtained through a fitting process for data about the change in the optical characteristic of each of the plurality of channels in the image sensor.

9. The spectral camera of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to restore an input spectrum of light incident on the image sensor through reconstruction of the third information.

10. The spectral camera of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to restore the image of the object by using the input spectrum.

11. An electronic apparatus comprising the spectral camera of claim 1 .

12. The spectral camera of claim 1 , wherein the first information is a profile of the optical characteristic of each channel with respect to a change in focus of light incident on each channel of the image sensor.

13. The spectral camera of claim 1 , wherein the first information indicates a relationship between the optical characteristic of each channel and a chief ray angle (CRA) of light incident on each channel of the image sensor.

14. An operating method of a spectral camera, the operating method comprising:
imaging an object onto an image sensor of the spectral camera by moving an optical module of spectral camera, the image sensor comprising a plurality of channels configured to detect a plurality of central wavelengths;
obtaining, from a memory of the spectral camera, first information about a change in an optical characteristic of at least one the plurality of channels in the image sensor, the change in the optical characteristic of the at least one of the plurality of channels corresponding to a movement of the optical module;
obtaining second information corresponding to the plurality of central wavelengths detected by the image sensor; and
obtaining third information by correcting the second information based on the first information.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising moving the optical module by a driver of the spectral camera controlled by a processor of the spectral camera.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of channels comprises at least three channels detecting different central wavelengths.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising storing the first information in a form of a profile obtained through a fitting process for data about the change in the optical characteristic of each of the plurality of channels in the image sensor.

18. The method of claim 14 , further comprising restoring an input spectrum of light incident on the image sensor through reconstruction of the third information.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising restoring the image of the object by using the input spectrum.

20. An electronic apparatus comprising:
a memory storing one or more instructions; and
a processor configured to execute the one or more instructions to:
control an image sensor to detect a plurality of central wavelengths, the image sensor comprising a plurality of channels,
control an optical module to move with respect to the image sensor to provide an image of an object on the image sensor,
obtain first information about a change in an optical characteristic of at least one the plurality of channels in the image sensor, the change in the optical characteristic of the at least one of the plurality of channels corresponding to a movement of the optical module,
obtain second information corresponding to the plurality of central wavelengths detected by the image sensor, and
obtain third information by correcting the second information based on the first information.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
• Univ Korea Res & Bus Found

Inventors

• Lee Suyeon
• Park Q-Han
• Kim Unjeong
• Kim Hojung
• Ma Hyunjun

Classifications

• G01J2003/2826

  Multispectral imaging, e.g. filter imaging · CPC title

• G01J3/0294

  Multi-channel spectroscopy · CPC title

• G01J3/0278

  Control or determination of height or angle information for sensors or receivers · CPC title

• G01J3/0256

  Compact construction · CPC title

• G01J3/0202

  Mechanical elements; Supports for optical elements · CPC title