Image capture with extended field of view

Abstract

A method, system, computer readable medium, and device for an image capture device are presented. The device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a plurality of optical elements configured to send light from an environment toward an image sensor. The device further includes one or more support structures coupled to the plurality of optical elements. According to this aspect, the one or more support structures are configured to support each of the plurality of optical elements in a relative position with respect to the image sensor. According to this aspect, each of the plurality of optical elements is configured to receive light from the environment based on a different field of view as received light and send the received light toward the image sensor.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE Aspects relate generally to image capture. More particularly, the following aspects relate to capturing images from an extended field of view. [Background technology]

[0002] Image-based processing is growing in variety, sophistication, and diversity of applications. Improvements in machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) are accelerating the use of captured images as solutions to everyday problems. The performance of such systems may depend on the inherent quality of the captured images. Cost-effective hardware for image capture may be widely available, but may have inherent limitations that limit the capabilities of image-based solutions. On the other hand, expensive and specialized hardware may only be useful for certain applications and may be unsuitable for many others due to cost or physical characteristics such as excessive weight or size. Improvements in the capabilities of cost-effective image capture hardware can greatly expand the possibilities of image-based applications. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0003] The following presents a summary of one or more aspects of the disclosure. This summary is not an extensive description of all features, nor does it identify key or critical elements of all aspects of the disclosure. Instead, this summary is intended to present some concepts of one or more aspects as a prelude to the more detailed description presented in the following sections.

[0004] An apparatus for image capture according to one aspect of the present disclosure is presented. The apparatus comprises a plurality of optical elements configured to direct light from an environment toward an image sensor. The apparatus further comprises one or more support structures coupled to the plurality of optical elements. According to this aspect, the one or more support structures are configured to support each of the plurality of optical elements in a relative position with respect to the image sensor. According to this aspect, each of the plurality of optical elements is configured to receive light from the environment based on a respective different field of view as received light and direct the received light toward the image sensor.

[0005] An apparatus for facilitating image capture according to one aspect of the disclosure is presented. The method includes providing a plurality of optical elements configured to direct light from an environment toward an image sensor. The method further includes providing one or more support structures coupled to the plurality of optical elements, the one or more support structures configured to support each of the plurality of optical elements in a relative position with respect to the image sensor. The method further includes receiving, at each of the plurality of optical elements, light from the environment based on a respective different field of view as received light, and directing the received light toward the image sensor.

[0006] A system for facilitating image capture according to one aspect of the disclosure is presented. The system comprises means for providing a plurality of optical elements configured to direct light from an environment toward an image sensor. The system further comprises means for providing one or more support structures coupled to the plurality of optical elements, the one or more support structures configured to support each of the plurality of optical elements in a relative position with respect to the image sensor. The system further comprises means for receiving, at each of the plurality of optical elements, light from the environment based on a respective different field of view as received light and directing the received light toward the image sensor.

[0007] A non-transitory computer-readable memory storing instructions executed by one or more processing units according to one aspect of the present disclosure is presented. The stored instructions include instructions for capturing a plurality of images based on light from a plurality of optical elements configured to direct light from an environment toward an image sensor. According to this aspect of the present disclosure, light is received at each of the plurality of optical elements from the environment based on a respective different field of view and directed by the optical elements toward the image sensor. According to this aspect, one or more support structures are coupled to the plurality of optical elements and configured to support each of the plurality of optical elements in a relative position with respect to the image sensor.

[0008] Aspects of the present disclosure are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers indicate similar elements and in which: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a simplified diagram of an environment in which aspects of the present disclosure may be employed. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 illustrates further details of an image capture device capable of capturing an extended field of view, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 3] 1 is a cross-sectional view of an image capture device illustrating the focusing of light projections from different optical elements onto a common image sensor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] 1 is a cross-sectional view of an image capture device illustrating multiple shutters used to controllably block light, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 5] 1 is a cross-sectional view of an image capture device illustrating multiple refractive lenses used as optical elements according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] 1 is a cross-sectional view of an image capture device illustrating multiple diffractive optical elements according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 illustrates an image capture device utilizing a light guide to transmit light received by multiple optical elements to an image sensor, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 8]FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram illustrating a control circuit 800 for providing signals for controlling multiple shutters, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] 1 is a flow chart illustrating process features for image capture according to one aspect of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of various hardware and software components of a vehicle according to one aspect of the disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Several exemplary embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification. Specific embodiments in which one or more aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented are described below, but other embodiments may be used, and various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the scope of the present disclosure or the appended claims.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram of an environment 100 in which aspects of the disclosure may be utilized. In this example, the environment 100 is shown as a retail environment in which merchandise is presented to and sold to customers. An example of an image capture device 102 capable of capturing an extended field of view is shown. Shelves 104, 106, 108, and 110 are arranged to display merchandise for inspection by customers. Products 112 are arranged in designated spaces on the shelves 104, 106, 108, and 110. The image capture device 102 captures images of the products 112 and shelves 104, 106, 108, and 110 as shoppers remove and purchase the products. A computer system may process and analyze the captured images to determine, for example, the extent to which a particular product on a shelf is depleted and needs to be replenished. The system may recognize products and / or inventory levels of particular products using, for example, ML / AI-based techniques.

[0012] According to some embodiments, the image capture device 102 can capture images from an extended field of view, including a wide lateral field of view. Such a wide lateral field of view may cover, for example, a long shelf. Generally, in the context of retail shopping, shelves are designed with limited depth and wide lateral dimensions to maximize the display of merchandise to customers. For example, shelf 104 is illustrated to show only three containers of a product for simplicity of illustration, but an actual shelf may show dozens or even hundreds of containers of a product, making the shelf appear much wider from the customer's perspective. There may be multiple shelves, such as shelves 104 and 106, at the same level. Given its wide lateral field of view, the extended field of view of the image capture device 102 may cover the entire expanse of a wide shelf and multiple shelves at the same level.

[0013] According to some embodiments, the image capture device 102 can capture images from an extended field of view, including a large vertical field of view. Such a large field of view may cover, for example, multiple levels of shelves. For illustrative purposes, the figure shows two levels of shelves, including a first level including shelves 104 and 106 and a second level including shelves 108 and 110. Although only two levels of shelves are shown here, more levels of shelves may exist in a retail context. The extended field of view of the image capture device 102 may cover multiple levels of shelves, given its large vertical field of view.

[0014] Although a retail environment 100 is shown in this particular example, aspects of the disclosure are not limited to the retail environment 100 and may be applied in a wide range of environments. As another example, a warehouse environment where inventory of goods may be monitored by using captured images (e.g., by use of on-pallets and / or in-bays) to aid in, for example, automating orders and replenishing stock levels. Yet another example may be a wilderness environment where flora and fauna may be monitored by using captured images to observe changes, for example, growth and shrinkage of populations, plant and / or animal behavior, herd movements, etc. The extended field of view of the image capture device 102 provides the ability to capture images from a larger portion of the environment, including a wide lateral field of view and / or a large vertical field of view.

[0015] FIG. 2 illustrates further details of an image capture device 200 capable of capturing an extended field of view, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The image capture device 200 may be an example of the image capture device 102 illustrated in FIG. 1. Here, the image capture device 200 includes an image sensor 202 and a number of optical elements 204. The image sensor 202 may include an array of photodetectors (e.g., photodiodes) configured to convert photons of light into electrical or other types of signals. Each photodetector may correspond to a pixel of the captured image. The image sensor 202 may capture black and white and / or color images. The image sensor 202 may capture color images by using color-coded elements, such filters based on spectral bands, and photodetectors arranged in a repeating color-based pattern, such as the Bayer pattern.

[0016] Each of the optical elements 204 transmits light from a different field of view toward the image sensor 202. Each of the optical elements 204 may be disposed in a different outward direction and receive light from a field of view specific to that optical element. Each optical element 204 transmits light received from its respective field of view and transmits the received light toward the image sensor 202. The fields of view corresponding to each of the different optical elements 204 may be different, but the fields of view may overlap to some extent in at least some embodiments. Here, optical element broadly refers to a structure or collection of structures that transmits light in a desired manner. In some embodiments, an optical element may comprise one or more facets, lenses, gratings, reflectors, other optical structures, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, multiple optical elements may be formed as part of a monolithic structure. For example, multiple optical elements may be refractive shapes or diffraction gratings that are cast, machined, or otherwise formed as a common structure (e.g., a support structure). Thus, a monolithic structure may comprise multiple optical elements without requiring the formation and assembly of separate components. Additionally, each optical element may comprise multiple facets, lenses, gratings, reflectors, and / or other structures having optical properties.

[0017] In various embodiments, the light from each field of view is projected onto an area that is greater than, equal to, or less than the entire sensing surface of the image sensor 202. In some embodiments, the projection area of ​​light from each optical element 204 covers an area that is greater than, equal to, or less than the total sensing surface of the image sensor 202. For example, if the projection area of ​​light from one optical element 204 is slightly larger than the total sensing surface of the image sensor 202, the projection area of ​​light from the other optical element 204 may also be slightly larger than the total sensing area of ​​the image sensor 202. Such a design may ensure that all pixels in an image captured by the image sensor 202 represent projected light originating from the environment and avoid dark pixels associated with areas of the sensing surface of the image sensor 202 that do not receive projected light from the corresponding optical element 204. The image capture device 200 does not necessarily apply the same optical quality to each path of the projected light. For example, different paths of projected light may be associated with different fields of view, different amounts of optical distortion, different amounts of captured light, etc. The optical elements 204 may have different sizes, shapes, and / or configurations.

[0018] In the illustrated embodiment, the image capture device 200 also includes a support structure 206. The support structure 206 may support each of the optical elements 204 and hold each optical element 204 in a fixed position relative to the image sensor 202, where the support structure 206 has an outer surface with a plurality of facets 208. In some embodiments, the support structure 206 includes a three-dimensional transparent structure. For example, the three-dimensional transparent structure may include a glass material or a polymer material. Examples of such polymer materials include, but are not limited to, polycarbonate materials. The shape of the three-dimensional transparent structure may be formed using one or more molds or achieved using milling, polishing, or other mechanical processes. The three-dimensional transparent structure is useful in achieving practical manufacturability and provides a solid support for mounting the optical elements 204 in a desired position relative to the image sensor 202.

[0019] For example, the exterior surface of the three-dimensional transparent structure may comprise (1) a facet for coupling to the image sensor 202 and (2) a number of additional facets for coupling to the optical elements 204. Each facet may be formed at a specified translational and rotational position (e.g., six degrees of freedom, including three components of translational displacement along the x-, y-, and z-axes, and three components of rotational displacement about the x-, y-, and z-axes) relative to the positions of the other facets. By controlling the positions and angles of the various facets during fabrication of the three-dimensional transparent structure, the relative position of each optical element 204 with respect to the image sensor 202 can be predetermined and fixed. The optical elements 204 and the image sensor 202 can then be simply mechanically coupled to the three-dimensional transparent structure using the facets. This facilitates convenient assembly of the components while ensuring the desired positions of the components with respect to each other.

[0020] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an image capture device 300 illustrating the convergence of light projections from different optical elements onto a common image sensor, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The image capture device 300 may be an example of the image capture device 102 shown in FIG. 1. As shown, the image capture device 300 comprises a support structure 302. The support structure 302 may be a three-dimensional transparent structure having a number of facets 304, 306, 308, 310, and 312. For simplicity of illustration, the optical elements disposed on each of the facets 304, 306, 308, 310, and 312 are not explicitly shown in this figure. Examples of such optical elements are described in more detail in subsequent sections of this disclosure. Although only five facets 304, 306, 308, 310, and 312 are shown along a range of horizontal angles, the support structure 302 may include additional facets (not shown), for example, facets along one or more different vertical angles.

[0021] The optical elements direct light received from different views of the environment to the image sensor 314. For example, a beam of received light rays 316 corresponding to a particular view may be received by an optical element corresponding to facet 308. Each of the received light rays 316 may have a different shape. As an example, the received light rays 316 may have a cone shape with a circular or elliptical cross section. As another example, the received light rays 316 may have a hexahedron shape with a rectangular cross section. The optical element corresponding to facet 308 may direct the received light rays as projected light 318 toward the image sensor 314. The optical elements corresponding to each of the other facets 304, 306, 310, and 312 may receive light from other views of the environment and project their respective light rays toward the same image sensor 314. These same projected lights are shown as projected lights 320, 322, 324, and 326.

[0022] For ease of illustration, each projected light, such as projected lights 318, 320, 322, 324, and 326, is shown in the figures as a narrow arrow. However, it should be understood that each projected light may achieve a cross-sectional area large enough to substantially cover (and in some embodiments, exceed the boundaries of) the sensing region of the image sensor 314. For example, the cross-sectional area of ​​the projected light 318 may increase as the projected light 318 approaches the image sensor 314. By the time the projected light 318 reaches the image sensor 314, the cross-sectional area of ​​the projected light 318 may substantially cover (or completely cover or be larger than) the total sensing surface 316 of the image sensor 314. Similarly, each of the other projected lights 320, 322, 324, and 326 may also reach and substantially cover the total sensing surface 316 of the image sensor 314 (or may completely cover or be larger than the total sensing surface 316). In this manner, the image capture device 300 may be configured to send projected lights received from different fields of view into each of the environments and superimpose them onto the image sensor 314.

[0023] 4 is a cross-sectional view of an image capture device 400 illustrating multiple shutters used to controllably block light, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The image capture device 400 may be an example of the image capture device 102 shown in FIG. 1. As shown, the image capture device 400 further comprises multiple shutters including shutters 402, 404, 406, 408, and 410. Each of the shutters 402, 404, 406, 408, and 410 is directly or indirectly secured to a corresponding one of the multiple facets 412, 414, 416, 418, and 420. As previously described, the multiple facets may be part of a support structure 422. The support structure 422 may be, for example, a three-dimensional transparent structure.

[0024] Each of the multiple shutters 402, 404, 406, 408, and 410 may be independently operable to be disposed in (1) an open position and (2) a closed position at different times. In the open position, a shutter is configured to allow light from a corresponding optical element to reach the image sensor 424, and in the closed position, a shutter is configured to prevent light from a corresponding optical element from reaching the image sensor 424. For simplicity of illustration, the optical elements disposed on each of the facets 412, 414, 416, 418, and 420 are not explicitly shown in this figure. Examples of such optical elements are described in more detail in subsequent sections of this disclosure.

[0025] The control signals may be used to sequentially select different ones of the plurality of shutters 402, 404, 406, 408, and 410 to open at different times. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, at any given time, a selected one of the plurality of shutters may be placed in an open position while the remaining ones of the plurality of shutters may be placed in a closed position. For example, at the time shown, shutter 408 is in an "open" position while the other shutters 402, 404, 406, and 410 are in a "closed" position. When shutter 408 is in an open position, for example, a received light beam 426 corresponding to a particular field of view may be received by an optical element (not shown) corresponding to facet 408. The optical element may direct the received light beam as projected light 428 toward image sensor 424. At the same time, when the other shutters 402, 404, 406, and 410 are in a closed position, other potential received light beams corresponding to other fields of view may be blocked. In this manner, the multiple shutters 402, 404, 406, 408, and 410 may be controlled to selectively select different light rays received from different views of the environment projected onto the image sensor 424. Here, the "closed" position refers to a state in which light is blocked from a particular path. In some implementations, the blocking of light is not complete due to gaps, minor misalignments, etc. in the blocking elements. Thus, even in the "closed" position, there may be leakage light.

[0026] Image capture device 400 provides an extended field of view that includes multiple different individual fields of view while utilizing a single image sensor to capture image content. This is accomplished by operating multiple shutters, such as shutters 402, 404, 406, 408, and 410, to selectively block or accept received superimposed projected light from each of the different fields of view. The resulting captured images, each corresponding to a different field of view, may be processed together or separately in a number of applications.

[0027] The multiple shutters 402, 404, 406, 408, and 410 may each be implemented using a different type of technology. In some embodiments, each shutter comprises a liquid crystal element having liquid crystals operable at different times in (1) an open position and (2) a closed position based on a control signal provided by a control circuit. A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) structure operable at different times in (1) an open position and (2) a closed position based on a control signal provided by a control circuit.

[0028] 5 is a cross-sectional view of an image capture device 500 showing multiple refractive lenses used as optical elements according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The image capture device 500 may be an example of the image capture device 102 shown in FIG. 1. As shown, the image capture device 500 further comprises multiple optical elements implemented as refractive lenses 502, 504, 506, 508, and 510. Each of the refractive lenses 502, 504, 506, 508, and 510 may be directly or indirectly secured to a corresponding facet of the multiple facets 512, 514, 516, 518, and 520. As previously described, the multiple facets may be part of a support structure 522. The support structure 522 may be, for example, a three-dimensional transparent structure. The optical elements may be configured to project light received from different fields of view onto the image sensor 524.

[0029] Although refractive lenses are shown in this figure, other types of optical elements may be incorporated. For example, reflective elements, although not explicitly shown, may be incorporated along the optical path that directs the field of view towards the image sensor. The reflective elements may be rotatable and / or otherwise movable to direct and / or differentiate the optical paths. A combination of refractive, diffractive, and / or reflective elements may be used along any given optical path to direct the field of view of the environment towards the sensor.

[0030] The refractive lenses 502, 504, 506, 508, and 510 may comprise a material suitable for light refraction, including a glass material, a polymeric material such as polycarbonate, and the like. According to some embodiments, the refractive lenses 502, 504, 506, 508, and 510 are made from a material having a refractive index different from the refractive index of the material comprising the support structure 522. In some embodiments, the refractive lenses 502, 504, 506, 508, and 510 may be disposed directly below the outer surface of the support structure 522. For example, each of the refractive lenses 502, 504, 506, 508, and 510 may be disposed below a corresponding one of the facets 512, 514, 516, 518, and 520, which may comprise a corresponding portion of the outer surface of the support structure 522. In other embodiments, the refractive lenses 502, 504, 506, 508, and 510 may protrude from the support structure 522. In such an embodiment, the refractive lenses 502 , 504 , 506 , 508 , and 510 may form part of the facets and the outer surface of the support structure 522 .

[0031] A number of shutters corresponding to the number of refractive lenses 502, 504, 506, 508, and 510 may be implemented in the image capture device 500. For ease of illustration, such shutters are not explicitly shown in this figure. However, it should be understood that such shutters may be present. In some embodiments, each shutter is disposed above a corresponding optical element (i.e., a refractive lens) and controllably blocks light received from a field of view of the environment before it reaches the optical element. In some embodiments, each shutter is disposed below a corresponding optical element (i.e., a refractive lens) and controllably blocks light received from a field of view of the environment after passing through the optical element before being projected onto the image sensor 524.

[0032] According to some embodiments, the support structure 522 may incorporate one or more splitters to separate the optical path between the optical elements and the image sensor 524. Gaps between adjacent optical elements and / or shutters may form as a result of imperfect abutment of nearby components. An example is the gap 526 formed between the refractive lenses 508 and 510 (and / or the shutters corresponding to the refractive lenses 508 and 510) adjacent to each other. Such gaps may cause light leakage, which affects the quality of the captured image. For example, the refractive lens 506 may be selected to transmit light from a particular view of the environment by opening the shutter corresponding to the refractive lens 506 and closing the shutters corresponding to the other refractive lenses 502, 504, 508, and 510. Ideally, no light other than that received by the refractive lens 506 is then projected onto the image sensor 524. However, gaps between the other refractive lenses 502, 504, 508, and 510 (and / or their corresponding shutters) may introduce leakage light that can also project onto the image sensor 524, degrading the quality of the captured image. According to some embodiments, the support structure 522 may incorporate one or more splitters that separate the path of the projected light between each optical element and the image sensor 524. Such splitters may block stray light that is introduced into the support structure 522 through gaps, such as gap 526.

[0033] 6 is a cross-sectional view of an image capture device 600 showing a plurality of diffractive optical elements according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The image capture device 600 may be an example of the image capture device 102 shown in FIG. 1. As shown, the image capture device 600 further comprises a plurality of optical elements implemented as diffractive optical elements 602, 604, 606, 608, and 610. Each of the diffractive optical elements 602, 604, 606, 608, and 610 may be directly or indirectly secured to a corresponding facet of a plurality of facets 612, 614, 616, 618, and 620. As previously described, the plurality of facets may be part of a support structure 622. The support structure 622 may be, for example, a three-dimensional transparent structure. The optical elements may be configured to project light received from different fields of view onto an image sensor 624.

[0034] The diffractive optical elements 602, 604, 606, 608, and 610 may comprise a diffraction grating film. Each of the diffractive optical elements 602, 604, 606, 608, and 610 may comprise a diffraction grating configured to receive light from a particular field of view of the environment and direct the received light as projected light toward the image sensor 624. The planar shape of the diffractive optical elements 602, 604, 606, 608, and 610 may facilitate manufacturing and assembly of the image capture device 600. Each diffractive optical element may be rigidly secured to a corresponding shutter element, which may also have a generally planar shape. Both the diffractive optical element and the shutter element may be secured to a corresponding facet of the support structure 622.

[0035] As suggested, multiple shutters corresponding to the multiple refractive lenses 602, 604, 606, 608, and 610 may be implemented in the image capture device 600. For ease of illustration, such shutters are not explicitly shown in this figure. However, it should be understood that such shutters may be present. In some embodiments, each shutter is positioned above a corresponding diffractive optical element and controllably blocks light received from a field of view of the environment before it reaches the diffractive optical element. In some embodiments, each shutter is positioned below a corresponding diffractive optical element and controllably blocks light received from a field of view of the environment after passing through the diffractive optical element before being projected onto the image sensor 624.

[0036] According to some embodiments, the support structure 622 may incorporate one or more splitters to separate the optical path between the optical elements and the image sensor 624. Gaps between adjacent diffractive optical elements and / or shutters may form as a result of imperfect abutment of nearby components. The splitter may block stray light introduced into the support structure 622 through such gaps, improving the quality of the captured image.

[0037] FIG. 7 illustrates an image capture device 700 utilizing a light guide to direct light received at multiple optical elements to an image sensor, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The image capture device 700 illustrates an example of optical elements disposed in non-adjacent positions relative to one another. As illustrated, the image capture device 700 includes multiple light guides 702, 704, 706, and 708. The light guides 702, 704, 706, and 708 direct light received from respective optical elements 712, 714, 716, and 718, which may be disposed in separate positions. Each of the optical elements 712, 714, 716, and 718 receives light from a different field of view of the environment. In this particular example, the optical element 712 receives light directed forward from the field of view. The optical element 714 receives light directed in a first lateral direction from the field of view. The optical element 718 receives light directed in a second lateral direction from the field of view. Optical element 716 receives light directed backward from the field of view. The use of flexible light guides 702, 704, 706, and 708 facilitates a wide range of viewing angles for image capture device 700. Thus, image capture device 700 may capture images from a field of view spanning a range of azimuth angles (e.g., up to a full range of azimuth angles of 360 degrees) and / or a range of pitch angles (up to a full range of pitch angles of 360 degrees). In this example, four optical elements are shown, but a different number, e.g., more or fewer optical elements and corresponding light guides, may be arranged.

[0038] Each of the optical elements 712, 714, 716, and 718 may or may not be a refractive lens or a diffractive optical element. According to at least one embodiment, each of the optical elements 712, 714, 716, and 718 includes an in-coupler for coupling light into each of the light guides 702, 704, 706, and 708. At the other end of the light guides 702, 704, 706, and 708, light received from different views of the environment exits the light guides and is sent to the image sensor 720. An out-coupler (not shown) may be disposed at the other end of the light guides 702, 704, 706, and 708 to send light from the light guides 702, 704, 706, and 708 as respective projected light 732 to the image sensor 720.

[0039] A number of shutters corresponding to the number of diffractive optical elements 702, 704, 706, and 708 may be implemented in the image capture device 700. For ease of illustration, such shutters are not explicitly shown in this figure. However, it should be understood that such shutters may be present. In some embodiments, each shutter is disposed in front of the corresponding diffractive optical element along the optical path and controllably blocks light received from the field of view of the environment before it reaches the diffractive optical element. In some embodiments, each shutter is disposed after the corresponding diffractive optical element and controllably blocks light received from the field of view of the environment after passing through the diffractive optical element before entering the respective light guide. In some embodiments, each shutter is disposed at the other end of the respective light guide and controllably blocks light received from the field of view of the environment after passing through the respective light guide before being projected onto the image sensor 720.

[0040] FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram illustrating a control circuit 800 for providing signals to control a plurality of shutters, according to one embodiment of the disclosure. In this example, the control circuit 800 comprises a demultiplexer 802 and a plurality of drivers 812, 814, 816, 818, 820, and 822. The drivers provide drive signals for a plurality of liquid crystal elements 832, 834, 836, 838, 840, and 842. Additional drivers and liquid crystal elements are present but are not explicitly shown for ease of illustration. Each of the liquid crystal elements may represent an instance of a shutter operable to be disposed in (1) an open position and (2) a closed position at different times. As described, in the open position, each shutter is configured to allow light from a corresponding optical element to reach the image sensor. In the closed position, the shutter is configured to prevent light from a corresponding optical element from reaching the image sensor.

[0041] Demultiplexer 802 receives input signal 8 and select signal 854. In this example, input signal 852 is connected to a logic "1" (e.g., Vcc). Select signal 854 in this example is 4 bits wide. Based on the value of select signal 854, demultiplexer 802 connects input signal 852 to one of the output ports of demultiplexer 802. Thus, demultiplexer 802 selectively outputs a logic "1" value to a selected output port while providing a logic "0" to other unselected output ports.

[0042] The output ports of the demultiplexer 802 are provided as input signals to a number of drivers 812, 814, 816, 818, 820, and 822. For each driver, if the input signal indicates a logic "1", the driver provides the necessary drive voltage and / or current on its output port to drive the corresponding liquid crystal element to an "open" position. If the input signal to the driver indicates a logic "0", the driver does not provide the necessary drive voltage and / or current on its output port to drive the corresponding liquid crystal element, and the liquid crystal element remains in a "closed" position. In different implementations, the necessary drive voltages / currents of the liquid crystal elements may be different or possibly reversed. Each driver may be configured to provide the appropriate voltage and / or current suitable for driving the respective liquid crystal element to a desired "open" or "closed" state.

[0043] By way of example only, fifteen individual shutters may be controlled, corresponding to the fifteen optical elements arranged in three columns of the image capture device 200 shown in FIG. 2. These fifteen shutters may be implemented as liquid crystal elements LC_0 through LC_14, and are represented in FIG. 8 by liquid crystal elements 832, 834, 836, 838, 840, and 842. According to some embodiments, the selection signal 854 repeats a switching pattern. In each repetition of the switching pattern, one of the plurality of shutters is selected as the shutter to be placed in an open position, while the remaining shutters of the plurality of shutters are placed in a closed position. Thus, in this example, the switching pattern includes fifteen possible values, which may be arranged as follows: 0000, 0001, 0010, 0011, 0100, 0101, 0110, 0111, 1000, 1001, 1010, 1011, 1100, 1101, and 1110. 8, the selection signal 854 has a value "0001", which selects the second liquid crystal element 834 (LC_1) to be placed in the "open" position and keeps the other liquid crystal elements 832, 836, 838, 840, and 842 (LC_0, LC2, LC_3, LC_4, ..., LC_14) in the "closed" position. The selection signal 854 may be provided by additional circuitry (not shown), which may comprise logic circuits, one or more registers or other memory devices, or one or more processors executing programmed instructions.

[0044] FIG. 9 is a flow chart illustrating a process 900 for image capture according to an embodiment of the disclosure. At 902, the process includes providing a plurality of optical elements configured to direct light from an environment toward an image sensor. Examples of the plurality of optical elements include the optical element 204 of FIG. 2, the refractive lenses 502, 504, 506, 508, and 510 of FIG. 5, and the diffractive optical elements 602, 604, 606, 608, and 610 of FIG. 6. At 904, the process further includes providing one or more support structures coupled to the plurality of optical elements, the one or more support structures configured to support each of the plurality of optical elements in a relative position with respect to the image sensor. An example of the one or more support structures includes the support structure 206 of FIG. 2. At 906, the process includes receiving light from the environment based on a different field of view at each of the plurality of optical elements as received light and directing the received light toward the image sensor. An example of an image sensor includes the image sensor 202 shown in FIG. 2.

[0045] 10 is a block diagram of various hardware and software components of a device 1000 using an image capture device capable of capturing an extended field of view, according to one embodiment of the disclosure. An example of the device 1000 may be an environment monitoring device, a mobile handset device, a wearable device, a vehicle, a drone, or another device that takes image data as an input. In one example, the device 1000 may communicate with other devices and / or wireless communication networks via a wireless transceiver 1030 and a wireless antenna 1032 by transmitting and receiving wireless signals to and from a remote wireless transceiver, which may comprise another device, a base station (e.g., a Node B, an eNode B, or a gNode B), or a wireless access point on a wireless communication link.

[0046] Similarly, the device 1000 may transmit and receive wireless signals to and from a local transceiver over a wireless communication link, for example, by using a WLAN and / or a PAN wireless transceiver, represented herein by one of the wireless transceiver 1030 and the wireless antenna 1032. In one embodiment, the wireless transceiver 1030 may comprise various combinations of WAN transceivers, WLAN transceivers, and / or PAN transceivers. In one embodiment, the wireless transceiver 1030 may also comprise a Bluetooth transceiver, a ZigBee transceiver, or other PAN transceiver. In one embodiment, the device 1000 may transmit and receive wireless signals to and from the wireless transceiver 1030 on the device 1000 over the wireless communication link 1034. The local transceiver, WAN wireless transceiver, and / or mobile wireless transceiver may comprise a WAN transceiver, an access point (AP), a femtocell, a home base station, a small cell base station, an HNB, a HeNB, or a gNodeB, and may provide access to a wireless local area network (WLAN, e.g., an IEEE 802.11 network), a wireless personal area network (PAN, e.g., a Bluetooth network), or a cellular network (e.g., an LTE network, or other wireless wide area network such as those described in the next paragraph). Of course, it should be understood that these are merely examples of networks that may communicate with the device over a wireless link, and that claimed subject matter is not limited in this respect. It should also be understood that the wireless transceiver 1030 may be located on various types of devices 1000, such as boats, ferries, automobiles, buses, drones, and various transportation vehicles. In an embodiment, the device 1000 may be utilized for passenger transportation, cargo transportation, or other purposes. In one embodiment, GNSS signals 1074 from GNSS satellites are utilized by device 1000 for position location and / or determining GNSS signal parameters and demodulated data.In one embodiment, signals 1034 from a WAN transceiver, WLAN, and / or PAN local transceiver are used for position location, either alone or in combination with GNSS signals 1074 .

[0047] Examples of network technologies that may support the wireless transceiver 1030 are GSM, CDMA, WCDMA, LTE, 5G or New Radio Access Technology (NR), HRPD, and V2X vehicle-to-vehicle communications. As mentioned, V2X communications protocols may be defined in various standards, such as SAE and ETS-ITS standards. GSM, WCDMA, and LTE are technologies defined by 3GPP. CDMA and HRPD are technologies defined by 3rd Generation Partnership Project II (3GPP2). WCDMA is also part of the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) and may be supported by the HNB.

[0048] The wireless transceiver 1030 may communicate with the communication network via a WAN wireless base station, which may include a deployment of equipment that enables subscriber access to the wireless communication network for service (in accordance with a service agreement). Here, the WAN wireless base station may perform the functions of a WAN or cell base station in serving subscriber devices in a cell determined at least in part based on the range to which the WAN wireless base station is capable of providing access services. Examples of WAN base stations include GSM base stations, WCDMA base stations, LTE base stations, CDMA base stations, HRPD base stations, Wi-Fi base stations, Bluetooth base stations, WiMAX base stations, 5G NR base stations. In an embodiment, the further wireless base station may comprise a WLAN and / or PAN transceiver.

[0049] In one embodiment, the device 1000 may include one or more cameras 1035, which may comprise an image capture device capable of capturing an extended field of view according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, the camera may comprise a camera sensor and a mounting assembly. Different mounting assemblies may be used for different cameras on the device 1000. The camera may enable object detection and distance estimation, particularly for objects having a known size and / or shape. The camera, when used with other sensors, may be calibrated by verifying mileage and angular orientation using other systems, such as using LIDAR, wheel tick / distance sensors, and / or GNSS. The camera may be used to verify and calibrate other systems as well, for example, to verify that distance measurements are correct by calibrating against known distances between known objects (landmarks, roadside markers, road mile markers, etc.), and to verify that object detection is performed accurately so that objects are thus mapped to the correct position relative to the vehicle by the LIDAR and other systems.

[0050] Accelerometer, gyro, and magnetometer 1040 may be utilized in one embodiment to provide and / or verify motion and orientation information. LIDAR 1050 uses pulsed laser light to measure distance to objects. While cameras may be used for object detection, LIDAR 1050 provides a means to detect object distance (and orientation) with greater certainty, especially for objects of unknown size and shape. LIDAR 1050 measurements may be used to estimate driving speed, vector direction, relative position, and stopping distance by providing precise distance and delta distance measurements.

[0051] Memory 1060 may be used in conjunction with the processor 1010 and / or DSP 1020 and may comprise random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), disk drive, flash, or other memory devices, or various combinations thereof. In one embodiment, memory 1060 may include instructions for performing the various methods described throughout this description. In one embodiment, memory may include instructions for operating and calibrating sensors and receiving map, weather, and other data.

[0052] A Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver 1070 is utilized to determine a position relative to the Earth (absolute position) and, when used with other information such as measurements from other objects and / or mapping data, may be utilized to determine a position relative to other objects, such as a position relative to other vehicles and / or a position relative to a road surface. To determine a position, the GNSS receiver / transceiver 1070 may receive RF signals 1074 from GNSS satellites using one or more antennas 1072 (which may be the same as antenna 1032, depending on functional requirements). The GNSS receiver / transceiver 1070 may support one or more GNSS constellations, as well as other satellite-based navigation systems. For example, in one embodiment, the GNSS receiver / transceiver 1070 may support a global navigation satellite system, such as GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and / or BeiDou, or any combination thereof. In one embodiment, the GNSS receiver / transceiver 1070 may support regional navigation satellite systems such as NavIC, or QZSS, or a combination thereof, as well as various augmentation systems (e.g., Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS), or Ground-Based Augmentation System (GBAS)), such as Doppler Orbitography and Radio-positioning Integrated by Satellite (DORIS), or Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), or European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), or Multifunction Satellite Augmentation System (MSAS), or Local Area Augmentation System (LAAS).In one embodiment, the GNSS receiver / transceiver 1030 and antenna 1032 may support multiple bands and sub-bands, such as GPS L1, L2, and L5 bands, Galileo E1, E5, and E6 bands, Compass (BeiDou) B1, B3, and B2 bands, GLONASS G1, G2, and G3 bands, and QZSS L1C, L2C, and L5-Q bands.

[0053] The GNSS receiver / transceiver 1070 may be used to determine the distance between two points in time in clear sky conditions and to determine position and relative position and calibrate other sensors, as appropriate, that may be utilized for localization, navigation, such as using the distance data to calibrate odometers and / or other sensors, such as LIDAR. In one embodiment, the GNSS-based relative position may be used to determine a very accurate distance between two vehicles, for example, based on shared Doppler and / or pseudorange measurements between the vehicles, and when combined with vehicle information such as shape and model information and GNSS antenna positions, may be used to calibrate, validate, and / or affect confidence levels associated with information from LIDAR, cameras, RADAR, SONAR, and other distance estimation techniques.

[0054] The RADAR 1053 uses the transmitted radio waves reflected from objects. The reflected radio waves are analyzed based on the time it takes for the reflection to arrive and other signal characteristics of the reflected waves to identify the location of nearby objects. The RADAR 1053 may be utilized to detect the location of nearby automobiles, roadside objects (signs, other vehicles, pedestrians, etc.), and generally allows objects to be detected even in the presence of obscuring weather such as snow, rain, or hail. Thus, the RADAR 1053 may be used to complement the LIDAR 1050 and camera 1035 systems in providing ranging information to other objects by providing distance and range measurements when vision-based systems typically fail. Additionally, the RADAR 1053 may be utilized to calibrate and / or sanity check other systems such as the LIDAR 1050 and camera 1035.

[0055] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that substantial modifications may be made according to particular requirements. For example, customized hardware may be used and / or particular elements may be implemented in hardware, software (including portable software such as applets), or both. Furthermore, connection to other computing devices, such as network input / output devices, may be employed.

[0056] With reference to the accompanying figures, components that may include memory (e.g., memory 1060 in FIG. 10) may include non-transitory machine-readable media. As used herein, the terms "machine-readable medium" and "computer-readable medium" refer to any storage medium that participates in providing data that causes a machine to operate in a specific manner. In the embodiments provided above, various machine-readable media may participate in providing instructions / code to a processing unit and / or other devices for execution. Additionally or alternatively, machine-readable media may be used to store and / or transport such instructions / code. In many implementations, the computer-readable medium is a physical and / or tangible storage medium. Such media may take many forms, including, but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media. Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, magnetic and / or optical media, any other physical media with a pattern of holes, RAM, PROM, EPROM, FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave as described below, or any other medium from which a computer can read instructions and / or code.

[0057] The methods, systems, and devices discussed herein are examples. Various embodiments may omit, substitute, or add various procedures or components, as appropriate. For example, features described with respect to some embodiments may be combined in various other embodiments. Different aspects and elements of the embodiments may be combined in a similar manner. Various components of the diagrams provided herein may be embodied in hardware and / or software. Also, technology evolves, and thus many of the elements are examples that do not limit the scope of the disclosure to those specific examples.

[0058] It has proven convenient at times, primarily for reasons of common usage, to refer to such signals as bits, information, values, elements, symbols, characters, variables, terms, numbers, numeric values, or the like. It should be understood, however, that all of these or similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels. Unless otherwise indicated, and as is evident from the above discussion, throughout this specification discussions utilizing terms such as "processing," "computing," "calculating," "determining," "ascertaining," "identifying," "associating," "measuring," "performing," and the like, will be understood to refer to the actions or processes of a particular apparatus, such as a special purpose computer or similar special purpose electronic computing device. Thus, in the context of this specification, a special purpose computer or similar special purpose electronic computing device is capable of manipulating or transforming signals that are commonly represented as physical electronic, electrical, or magnetic quantities in the memory, registers, or other information storage, transmission, or display devices of the special purpose computer or similar special purpose electronic computing device.

[0059] The terms "and" and "or" as used herein may include a variety of meanings that are expected to depend at least in part on the context in which such terms are used. The terms "one or more" as used herein may be used in the singular to describe any feature, structure, or characteristic, or may be used to describe several combinations of features, structures, or characteristics. However, it should be noted that this is merely an illustrative example, and claimed subject matter is not limited to this example. Furthermore, the term "at least one of," when used to associate an enumeration such as A, B, or C, may be interpreted to mean any combination of A, B, and / or C, such as A, AB, AA, AAB, AABBCCC, etc.

[0060] Although several embodiments have been described, various modifications, alternative configurations, and equivalents may be used without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. For example, the above elements may simply be components of a larger system, and other rules may take precedence over or otherwise modify the application of the various embodiments. Also, some steps may be undertaken before, during, or after the above elements are considered. Thus, the above description does not limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0061] In view of this description, embodiments may include various combinations of features. Example implementations are described in the following numbered clauses. Clause 1. An apparatus for image capture, comprising: a plurality of optical elements configured to direct light from an environment toward an image sensor; and one or more support structures coupled to the plurality of optical elements, the support structure configured to support each of the plurality of optical elements in a relative position with respect to the image sensor, wherein each of the plurality of optical elements is configured to receive light from the environment based on a respective different field of view as received light and direct the received light toward the image sensor. Clause 2. The apparatus of clause 1, wherein the plurality of optical elements are positioned in laterally adjacent positions relative to one another. Clause 3. The apparatus of clause 1 or 2, wherein the one or more support structures comprise a three-dimensional transparent structure. Clause 4. The apparatus of clause 3, wherein the three-dimensional transparent structure comprises an outer surface having a plurality of facets, each of the plurality of facets configured to support one of the plurality of optical elements in a fixed position relative to the image sensor. Clause 5. An apparatus according to any of clauses 3 and 4, wherein the three-dimensional transparent structure comprises one or more splitters for separating the optical path between the optical element and the image sensor. Clause 6. The device of any one of clauses 3 to 5, wherein the three-dimensional transparent structure comprises a glass material. Clause 7. The device of any one of clauses 3 to 6, wherein the three-dimensional transparent structure comprises a polymeric material. Clause 8. The apparatus of clause 7, wherein the polymeric material comprises a polycarbonate material. Clause 9. The apparatus of any of clauses 1 to 8, wherein the plurality of optical elements are disposed in non-adjacent positions relative to one another. Clause 10. The apparatus of any of clauses 1-9, further comprising a plurality of light guides, each of the plurality of light guides configured to guide light received by the plurality of optical elements towards the image sensor. Clause 11. The apparatus of any of clauses 1-10, wherein each of the plurality of optical elements comprises a diffractive optical element. Clause 12. The apparatus of clause 11, wherein the diffractive optical element comprises a diffraction grating film. Clause 13. The apparatus of any of clauses 1 to 12, wherein each of the plurality of optical elements comprises a diffractive lens. Clause 14. The apparatus of any of clauses 1 to 13, wherein the plurality of optical elements have a uniform size. Clause 15. The apparatus of any of clauses 1 to 14, wherein the plurality of optical elements each have a different size. Clause 16. The apparatus of any of clauses 1 to 15, wherein a first optical element of the plurality of optical elements has a first size and is located at a first position relative to a central axis of the image sensor, and a second optical element of the plurality of optical elements has a second size and is located at a second position farther than the first position relative to a central axis of the image, the first size being smaller than the second size. Clause 17. The apparatus of any of clauses 1-15, wherein a first optical element of the plurality of optical elements has a first size and is located at a first position relative to a central axis of the image sensor, and a second optical element of the plurality of optical elements has a second size and is located at a second position farther than the first position relative to a central axis of the image, the first size being greater than the second size. Clause 18. The apparatus of any of clauses 1-17, further comprising a plurality of shutters coupled to the plurality of optical elements, each of the plurality of shutters operable at different times in (1) an open position and (2) a closed position, wherein a shutter is configured in the open position to allow light from a corresponding optical element to reach the image sensor and in the closed position to prevent light from the corresponding optical element from reaching the image sensor. Clause 19. The apparatus of clause 18, wherein each shutter of the plurality of shutters comprises a liquid crystal element having liquid crystals operable in (1) an open position and (2) a closed position at different times based on a control signal provided by the control circuit. Clause 20. The apparatus of clause 18, wherein each shutter of the plurality of shutters comprises a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) structure operable in (1) an open position and (2) a closed position at different times based on a control signal provided by the control circuit. Clause 21. The apparatus of any of clauses 18 to 20, further comprising a control circuit that provides control signals to the plurality of shutters to sequentially select different ones of the plurality of shutters to open at different times, wherein selected ones of the plurality of shutters are disposed in an open position while remaining ones of the plurality of shutters are disposed in a closed position. Clause 22. The apparatus of clause 21, wherein the control signal repeats a switching pattern and in each repetition, one of the plurality of shutters is selected as the shutter to be placed in an open position while the remaining shutters of the plurality of shutters are placed in a closed position in accordance with the switching pattern. Clause 23. A method for image capture, comprising: providing a plurality of optical elements configured to direct light from an environment towards an image sensor; providing one or more support structures coupled to the plurality of optical elements, the one or more support structures configured to support each of the plurality of optical elements in a relative position with respect to the image sensor; and receiving, at each of the plurality of optical elements, light from the environment based on a respective different field of view as received light and directing the received light towards the image sensor. Clause 24. The method of clause 23, wherein the one or more support structures comprise a three-dimensional transparent structure. Clause 25. The method of clause 24, wherein the three-dimensional transparent structure comprises an outer surface having a plurality of facets, each of the plurality of facets configured to support one of the plurality of optical elements in a fixed position relative to the image sensor. Clause 26. The method of any of clauses 23-25, wherein each of the plurality of optical elements comprises a diffractive optical element. Clause 27. The method of any of clauses 23-26, further comprising providing a plurality of shutters coupled to the plurality of optical elements, each of the plurality of shutters operable at different times in (1) an open position and (2) a closed position, wherein a shutter is configured in the open position to allow light from a corresponding optical element to reach the image sensor and configured in the closed position to prevent light from the corresponding optical element from reaching the image sensor. Clause 28. The method of clause 27, wherein each shutter of the plurality of shutters comprises a liquid crystal element having liquid crystals operable in (1) an open position and (2) a closed position at different times based on a control signal provided by the control circuit. Clause 29. A system for facilitating image capture, comprising: means for providing a plurality of optical elements configured to direct light from an environment towards an image sensor; means for providing one or more support structures coupled to the plurality of optical elements, the one or more support structures configured to support each of the plurality of optical elements in a relative position with respect to the image sensor; and means for receiving, at each of the plurality of optical elements, light from the environment based on a respective different field of view as received light and directing the received light towards the image sensor. Clause 30. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions for execution by one or more processing units, the stored instructions including instructions for capturing a plurality of images based on light from a plurality of optical elements configured to direct light from an environment toward an image sensor, wherein the light received at each of the plurality of optical elements is light from the environment based on a respective different field of view and is directed by the optical elements toward the image sensor, and wherein one or more support structures are coupled to the plurality of optical elements and configured to support each of the plurality of optical elements in a relative position to the image sensor. [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 100 Environment 102, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700 Image capture device 104, 106, 108, 110 Shelves 112 products 202, 314, 424, 524, 624 Image Sensor 204, 712, 714, 716, 718 Optical elements 206, 302, 422, 522, 622 Support structure 208, 304, 306, 308, 310, 312, 412, 414, 416, 418, 420, 512, 514, 516, 518, 520, 612, 614, 616, 618, 620 Facet 316 light 318, 320, 322, 324, 326, 428 projection light 402, 404, 406, 408, 410 Shutter 502, 504, 506, 508, 510 Refractive Lenses 526 Gap 602, 604, 606, 608, 610 Diffractive optical elements 702, 704, 706, 708 Light Guide 800 Control circuit 802 Demultiplexer 812, 814, 816, 818, 820, 822 Drivers 832, 834, 836, 838, 840, 842 Liquid crystal elements 852 Input Signal 854 Selection signal 1000 devices 1001 Bus 1010 Processor 1020 DSP 1030 Wireless Transceiver 1032 Wireless Antenna 1034 Wireless communication link 1035 Camera 1040 Gyro and Magnetometer 1050 LIDAR 1053 RADAR 1060 Memory 1070 Global Positioning Satellite System Receiver 1072 Antenna 1074 GNSS signals

Claims

1. 1. An apparatus for image capture, comprising: a plurality of optical elements configured to direct light from the environment towards an image sensor; one or more support structures coupled to the plurality of optical elements, the one or more support structures configured to support each of the plurality of optical elements in a relative position to the image sensor, the one or more support structures comprising a three-dimensional transparent structure; An apparatus, wherein each of the plurality of optical elements is configured to receive light from the environment based on a respective different field of view and to direct the received light towards the image sensor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the optical elements are disposed in laterally adjacent positions relative to one another, or the optical elements are in non-adjacent positions relative to one another.

3. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional transparent structure comprises an outer surface having a plurality of facets, each of the plurality of facets configured to support one of the plurality of optical elements in a fixed position relative to the image sensor, and / or the three-dimensional transparent structure comprises one or more splitters for separating an optical path between an optical element and the image sensor.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional transparent structure comprises a glass material or a polymer material, the polymer material optionally comprising a polycarbonate material.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of light guides, each of the plurality of light guides configured to direct light received by one of the plurality of optical elements towards the image sensor.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of optical elements comprises a diffractive lens, or each of the plurality of optical elements comprises a diffractive optical element, optionally a diffraction grating film.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of optical elements have a uniform size.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the optical elements have different sizes.

9. a first optical element of the plurality of optical elements has a first size and is located at a first position relative to a central axis of the image sensor, and a second optical element of the plurality of optical elements has a second size and is located at a second position farther than the first position relative to the central axis of the image, the first size being smaller than the second size; or 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a first optical element of the plurality of optical elements has a first size and is located at a first position relative to a central axis of the image sensor, and a second optical element of the plurality of optical elements has a second size and is located at a second position farther than the first position relative to the central axis of the image, the first size being greater than the second size.

10. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of shutters coupled to the plurality of optical elements, each of the plurality of shutters operable at different times in (1) an open position and (2) a closed position, wherein in the open position a shutter is configured to allow light from a corresponding optical element to reach the image sensor, and in the closed position a shutter is configured to prevent light from the corresponding optical element from reaching the image sensor.

11. each shutter of the plurality of shutters comprises a liquid crystal element having liquid crystals operable at different times in (1) the open position and (2) the closed position based on a control signal provided by a control circuit; or 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein each shutter of the plurality of shutters comprises a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) structure operable in (1) the open position and (2) the closed position at different times based on a control signal provided by a control circuit.

12. 11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a control circuit that provides control signals to the plurality of shutters to sequentially select different ones of the plurality of shutters to open at different times, wherein selected ones of the plurality of shutters are disposed in the open position while remaining ones of the plurality of shutters are disposed in the closed position.

13. 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the control signal repeats a switching pattern in which all of the plurality of shutters are selected once to be placed in the open position while remaining shutters of the plurality of shutters are placed in the closed position in accordance with the switching pattern.

14. 1. A method for assisting image capture, comprising: providing a plurality of optical elements configured to direct light from an environment towards an image sensor; providing one or more support structures coupled to the plurality of optical elements, the one or more support structures configured to support each of the plurality of optical elements in a relative position to the image sensor, the one or more support structures comprising a three dimensional transparent structure; and receiving light from the environment based on a respective different field of view at each of the plurality of optical elements as received light and directing the received light towards the image sensor.

15. 15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for execution by one or more processing units, the stored instructions including instructions for performing the method of claim 14.

Images