Image Pickup Apparatus Optical Filter Path Length Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image pickup apparatuses face challenges with chromatic aberrations causing lateral color shifts due to differences in image capturing magnifications for various light wavelengths, leading to errors in light field information and inaccurate image reconstruction.
Innovation Solution
An image pickup apparatus incorporating an optical filter with a first and second plate, where the second plate has the same index of refraction as the first plate and is movable to adjust the total optical path length between the lens and image sensor, allowing for precise focusing without lens movement and reducing aberrations by focusing different wavelengths at accurate positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the lens is moved to adjust focusing distance, then focusing accuracy is improved, but device complexity and mechanical wear increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical lens movement system with an optical path length adjustment mechanism using a movable optical filter. Instead of moving the lens to change focusing distance, the system moves the optical filter to vary the optical path length, achieving focusing adjustment without mechanical lens displacement. This substitution reduces mechanical complexity and wear while maintaining focusing accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical filter serves as an intermediary element between the lens and image sensor. By moving this intermediary component to adjust optical path length, the system achieves focusing control without directly moving the lens. The optical filter acts as a mediator that enables focusing adjustment through optical path modification rather than mechanical lens repositioning.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If different wavelength bands are focused separately, then chromatic aberration is reduced, but image reconstruction accuracy deteriorates due to lateral color shifts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the optical path length parameter by moving the optical filter to a specific position, which adjusts the focusing distance for different wavelength bands. By precisely controlling the optical path length, the system compensates for chromatic aberration effects and ensures that light field information from different wavelengths is focused at appropriate positions, maintaining both chromatic aberration reduction and image reconstruction accuracy.
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
This solution achieves high focusing accuracy and reduces aberrations by finely tuning the focusing distance and ensuring continuous image streams across daytime and nighttime modes by varying the optical path length, allowing for accurate focusing of different wavelength bands without lens movement.
Implementation Method 1
The second plate has substantially the same index of refraction as the first plate. The second plate has a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface forms an angle with the first surface, and a thickness of the second plate is continuously decreased or increased across the second plate. The driving device moves the second plate, and a total optical path length between the lens and the image sensor varies according to a position of the second plate relative to the first plate.
Implementation Method 2
The lens focuses light beams from at least one subject to form an optical image
Implementation Method 3
the image sensor receives the optical image and converts the optical image into at least one electric signal
Data Source
AI summary
An image pickup apparatus includes a lens, an image sensor, an optical filter, and a driving device. The lens focuses light beams from at least one subject to form an optical image, and the image sensor receives the optical image and converts the optical image into at least one electric signal. The optical filter includes a first plate and a second plate, the first plate is disposed between the lens and the image sensor, and the second plate is disposed between the first plate and the image sensor. The driving device moves the second plate. The second plate has substantially the same index of refraction as the first plate, and a thickness of the second plate is continuously decreased or increased across the second plate.