Digital camera using multiple lenses and image sensors to provide an extended zoom range
US7305180B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 17, 2006 |
| Grant date | Dec 4, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 17, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N23/60
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A digital camera includes a first image sensor, a first wide angle lens for forming a first image of a scene on the first image sensor; a second image sensor, a zoom lens for forming a second image of the same scene on the second image sensor, a control element for selecting either a first sensor output from the first image sensor or a second sensor output from the second image sensor, and a processing section for producing the output image from the selected sensor output. In one variation of this embodiment, the first lens is also a zoom lens, where the maximum focal length of the first lens is less than or equal to the minimum focal length of the second zoom lens.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.