Multi-aperture device and method for detecting an object region

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9769458-B2
Application number	US-201615148545-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 6, 2016
Priority date	Nov 8, 2013
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

Abstract

The invention describes a multi-aperture device for detecting an object region having at least two optical channels for detecting a first sub-region of the object region and at least two optical channels for detecting a second sub-region of the object region. The optical channels for detecting the first and second sub-regions are arranged in an interlaced manner in a one-row structure, wherein the first and second sub-regions overlap at least partly.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A multi-aperture device for detecting an object region, comprising:
at least two optical channels for detecting a first sub-region of the object region; and
at least two optical channels for detecting a second sub-region of the object region; wherein
the optical channels for detecting the first sub-region and the second sub-region are arranged in an interlaced manner in a one-row structure; and wherein
the first sub-region and the second sub-region overlap partly and are mutually different in the object region;
wherein each optical channel comprises an image sensor region the position of which on an image converter depends on a position of the sub-region to be detected within the object region, and wherein optical centers of optics of the optical channels are located on a line along individual optical channels and centers of the image sensor regions of the optical channels vary compared to an equidistant and collinear distribution relative to the line; or
wherein each optical channel comprises an image sensor region the position of which on an image converter depends on a position of the sub-region to be detected within the object region, and wherein centers of the image sensor regions of the optical channels are located on a line along individual optical channels and optical centers of optics of the optical channels vary compared to an equidistant and collinear distribution relative to the line.

2. The multi-aperture device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the at least two optical channels for detecting the first sub-region of the object region and the at least two optical channels for detecting the second sub-region of the object region comprise a mutually different angle of view and are configured to detect a mutually different sub-region of the object region.

3. The multi-aperture device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the multi-aperture device comprises a one-row setup such that the arrangement of the optical channels for detecting the first sub-region and the arrangement of the optical channels for detecting the second sub-region are one-row arrangements and may be described as a 1×N form.

4. The multi-aperture device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the at least two optical channels for detecting the first sub-region of the object region and the at least two optical channels for detecting the second sub-region of the object region each comprise pixel grids comprising a number of pixels.

5. The multi-aperture device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein, in the optical channels for detecting the first sub-region, the center points of pixel arrays of image sensor regions of the respective optical channels are shifted relative to the center points of the respective imaging optics of the respective optical channel to one another laterally by the fraction of a pixel pitch such that the first sub-region is scanned by at least two of the optical channels in a way shifted laterally by a sub-pixel offset.

6. The multi-aperture device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein a number of optical channels of the first the second sub-region is identical.

7. The multi-aperture device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein at least one of the optical channels comprises an optical transmission filter such that a spectral color is associated to the at least one optical channel.

8. The multi-aperture device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the single-row structure comprises at least two essentially rectilinear portions which are arranged in angles to one another.

9. The multi-aperture device in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the at least two portions comprise an identical number of optical channels.

10. The multi-aperture device in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the at least two portions are arranged such that they follow one after the other.

11. The multi-aperture device in accordance with claim 1 , comprising at least two optical channels for detecting a third sub-region of the optic region, wherein the third optical sub-region at least partly overlaps the first or second optical sub-region, wherein the optical channels are arranged to be interlaced such that optical channels for detecting one of the sub-regions on an image converter comprise a maximum distance relative to one another.

12. The multi-aperture device in accordance with claim 1 , comprising at least two optical channels for detecting a third sub-region of the object region which at least partly overlaps the first or second sub-region, and wherein the optical channels are arranged on an image converter such that an arrangement of the optical channels on an image converter corresponds to an arrangement with a maximum angular distance of the sub-regions.

13. The multi-aperture device in accordance with claim 1 , comprising at least two optical channels for detecting a third sub-region of the object region which at least partly overlaps the first or second sub-region, and wherein the optical channels are arranged on an image converter such that an arrangement of the optical channels on an image converter corresponds to a uniform arrangement relative to two lateral directions of the sub-regions.

14. The multi-aperture device in accordance with claim 1 , comprising at least two optical channels for detecting a third sub-region of the object region which at least partly overlaps the first or second sub-region, and wherein the optical channels are arranged on an image converter such that an arrangement of the optical channels on an image converter corresponds to a maximum dead zone between the sub-regions.

15. A system comprising a multi-aperture device in accordance with claim 1 .

16. The system in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the system is a mobile phone.

17. A method for detecting an object region, comprising:
arranging at least two optical channels for detecting a first sub-region of the object region on an image converter; and
arranging at least two optical channels for detecting a second sub-region of the object region on the image converter; wherein
the optical channels for detecting the first and second sub-regions are arranged in an interlaced manner in a one-row structure; and wherein
the first and second sub-regions overlap partly and are mutually different in the object region;
wherein arranging the optical channels takes place such that each optical channel comprises an image sensor region the position of which on an image converter depends on a position of the sub-region to be detected within the object region, and such that optical centers of optics of the optical channels are located on a line along individual optical channels and centers of the image sensor regions of the optical channels vary compared to an equidistant and collinear distribution relative to the line; or
wherein arranging the optical channels takes place such that each optical channel comprises an image sensor region the position of which on an image converter depends on a position of the sub-region to be detected within the object region, and such that centers of the image sensor regions of the optical channels are located on a line along individual optical channels and optical centers of optics of the optical channels vary compared to an equidistant and collinear distribution relative to the line.

Assignees

• Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forschung E V
• Fraunhofer-Gesellshaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forschung E V

Inventors

• Wippermann Frank
• Brueckner Andreas
• Braeuer Andreas

Classifications

• H04N23/45

  for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images · CPC title

• H04N13/232

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

• H04N13/218 Primary

  using spatial multiplexing · CPC title

• H04N13/229

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

• H04N13/25

  using two or more image sensors with different characteristics other than in their location or field of view, e.g. having different resolutions or colour pickup characteristics; using image signals from one sensor to control the characteristics of another sensor · CPC title