Patent · US Active

Imaging systems with array cameras for depth sensing

US8717467B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by
2References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 31, 2011
Grant dateMay 6, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 26, 2031

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N13/243
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Electronic devices may include camera modules. A camera module may be formed from an array of lenses and corresponding image sensors. The array of image sensors may include three color image sensors for color imaging and a fourth image sensor positioned to improve image depth mapping. Providing a camera module with a fourth image sensor may increase the baseline distance between the two most distant image sensors, allowing parallax and depth information to be determined for objects a greater distance from the camera than in a conventional electronic device. The fourth image sensor may be a second green image sensor positioned at a maximal distance from the green color image sensor used for color imaging. The fourth image sensor may also be a clear image sensor, allowing capture of improved image depth information and enhanced image resolution and low-light performance.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.