Image Acquisition Apparatus with Spatial Focal Length Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image acquisition apparatuses face challenges in generating stable combined images when subjects move significantly or anomalously, due to positional deviations between images acquired at different timings and focal positions.
Innovation Solution
An image acquisition apparatus with an image-acquisition optical system, a micro-lens array, and a focal-length changing section that spatially changes focal lengths to focus light at multiple positions, allowing for simultaneous acquisition and alignment of images with parallax, enabling stable image combination even with moving subjects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If images are acquired at different image acquisition timings to obtain images at different focal positions, then images with different focal positions can be obtained, but positional deviation occurs between images when the subject moves significantly, making it difficult to perform stable image combining
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from temporal separation (acquiring images at different timings) to spatial separation (acquiring images simultaneously at different spatial positions within the same optical system). By using a beam splitter to divide the light path and direct light from different depth positions to different image acquisition sections simultaneously, the system eliminates temporal displacement while maintaining the ability to capture images at different focal positions, thus resolving the contradiction between focal position accuracy and image combining stability.
2Manufacturing precision
If two image acquisition sections with different optical axes and different focal positions are used to acquire multiple images, then images at different focal positions can be obtained, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple image acquisition sections into a single integrated optical system. By using a beam splitter to divide the light path from a single objective lens to multiple image acquisition sections, the system achieves multi-focal position imaging capability while sharing common optical components (objective lens, illumination system), thereby reducing overall system complexity compared to using completely separate imaging systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apparatus generates stable combined images from multiple image signals acquired at different focal positions by aligning and combining images with parallax, improving image stability and accuracy compared to traditional methods.
Implementation Method 1
a focal-length changing section that is disposed at a pupil position of the image-acquisition optical system and that spatially changes a focal length so as to focus light passing therethrough at a plurality of different focal positions
Implementation Method 2
each micro-lens of the micro-lens array causes the light to be incident on the multiple pixels covered by the micro-lens
Data Source
AI summary
A stable combined image is generated from a plurality of image signals having parallax and obtained at different focal positions. An image acquisition apparatus includes an image-acquisition optical system that collects light from a subject; an image acquisition element that acquires an image of the light collected by the image-acquisition optical system; a micro-lens array having an array of multiple micro-lenses arranged such that each micro-lens covers multiple pixels of the image acquisition element; and a focal-length changing section that is disposed at a pupil position of the image-acquisition optical system and that spatially changes a focal length so as to focus light passing therethrough at a plurality of different focal positions.