Method and apparauts for implementing active imaging system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9549102-B2
Application number	US-201514609872-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 30, 2015
Priority date	Jun 27, 2014
Publication date	Jan 17, 2017
Grant date	Jan 17, 2017

Abstract

Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for implementing an active imaging system. A method of obtaining an image in an active imaging system including: dividing an imaging region, and determining a plurality of divided imaging regions; scanning each of the plurality of divided imaging regions based on a laser; collecting reflected light for each of the plurality of divided imaging regions, and generating a plurality of divided images by an image sensor; and generating a whole image for the imaging region based on the plurality of divided images.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of obtaining an image of an imaging region using an active imaging system that includes
a laser, and
an image generation device including an image sensor, the image sensor having a limited Field of View (FoV) that is smaller than an FoV required for the image sensor to capture the entire image region,

the method comprising:
irradiating a beam of the laser sequentially to a plurality of portions of the imaging region;
using the image generation device without mechanical move thereof, to refract light reflected sequentially from the plurality of portions of the imaging region, and to receive the sequentially refracted light; and
generating, using the image generation device, a plurality of sequential images based on the sequentially refracted light, and generating the image of the imaging region based on the plurality of sequential images and sequential angular information of the beam, wherein
the sequential images are generated by sequentially irradiating the beam at a plurality of angles respectively to the plurality of portions of the imaging region, and
the reflected light is refracted through a prism in the image generation device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of portions of the imaging region correspond to a plurality of beam spots, and
the plurality of beam spots is determined according to a desired number of pixels and disposition of the image of the imaging region.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the image sensor is formed of a plurality of pixels, and obtains each sequential image according to a scanning angle of the beam of the laser.

4. A method of obtaining an image of an imaging region using an active imaging system that includes
a laser, and
an image generation device including an image sensor, the image sensor having a limited Field of View (FoV) that is smaller than an FoV required for the image sensor to capture the entire image region,

the method comprising:
irradiating a beam of the laser sequentially to a plurality of portions of the imaging region;
using the image generation device without mechanical move thereof, to refract light reflected sequentially from the plurality of portions of the imaging region, and to receive the sequentially refracted light; and
generating, using the image generation device, a plurality of sequential images based on the sequentially refracted light, and generating the image of the imaging region based on the plurality of sequential images and sequential angular information of the beam, wherein
the plurality of portions of the imaging region correspond to a plurality of beam spots, and
a the image generation device further includes a first lens, a micro lens array and a second lens, light incident through the first lens being refracted to be incident to one micro lens included in the micro lens array, the one micro lens refracting the incident light to be parallel to a center axis of the active imaging system, and the second lens causing the light refracted from the one micro lens be focused to the image sensor.

5. An active imaging system for obtaining an image of an imaging region, comprising:
a laser configured to irradiate a beam sequentially to a plurality of portions of the imaging region; and
an image generating unit including an image sensor, which has a limited Field of View (FoV) that is smaller than an FoV required for the image sensor to capture the entire image region, the image generating unit being configured to
refract light reflected sequentially from the plurality of portions of the imaging region,
receive the sequentially reflected light,
generate a plurality of sequential images based on the sequentially refracted light, and
generate the image of the imaging region based on the plurality of sequential images and sequential angular information of the beam,

without mechanical move of the image generating unit, wherein
the laser sequentially irradiates the beam at a plurality of angles respectively to the plurality of portions of the imaging region, and
the image generating unit further includes a prism through which the reflected light is refracted.

6. The active imaging system of claim 5 , wherein
the plurality of portions of the imaging region correspond to a plurality of beam spots, and
the plurality of beam spots is determined according to a desired number of pixels and disposition of the image of the imaging region.

7. The active imaging system of claim 5 , wherein the image sensor is formed of a plurality of pixels, and obtains each sequential image according to a scanning angle of the beam of the laser.

8. An active imaging system for obtaining an image of an imaging region, comprising:
a laser configured to irradiate a beam sequentially to a plurality of portions of the imaging region; and
an image generating unit including an image sensor, which has a limited Field of View (FoV) that is smaller than an FoV required for the image sensor to capture the entire image region, the image generating unit being configured to
refract light reflected sequentially from the plurality of portions of the imaging region,
receive the sequentially reflected light,
generate a plurality of sequential images based on the sequentially refracted light, and
generate the image of the imaging region based on the plurality of sequential images and sequential angular information of the beam,

without mechanical move of the image generating unit, wherein
the plurality of portions of the imaging region correspond to a plurality of beam spots, and
the image generation device further includes a first lens, a micro lens array and a second lens, light incident through the first lens being refracted to be incident to one micro lens included in the micro lens array, the one micro lens refracting the incident light to be parallel to a center axis of the active imaging system, and the second lens causing the light refracted from the one micro lens be focused to the image sensor.

Assignees

• Electronics & Telecommunications Res Inst

Inventors

• Song Jung Ho
• Mheen Bong Ki
• Oh Myoung Sook
• Kwon Yong Hwan
• Kim Dong Sun
• Seo Hong Seok
• Song Min Hyup
• Sim Jae Sik

Classifications

• H04N23/698 Primary

  for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture · CPC title

• H04N23/74

  by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means · CPC title

• H04N5/23238

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N5/225 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N5/2354

  Electricity · mapped topic