Image Pickup Apparatus Parallax Correction for Aperture Stability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Monocular three-dimensional image pickup apparatuses experience a change in image shift amount on the imaging plane when the aperture stop of the image pickup optical system is altered, affecting the stability of the three-dimensional effect.
Innovation Solution
An image pickup apparatus with a pixel unit cell configured by arranging multiple pixels for one microlens, which includes a parallax detector to calculate the image shift amount and an image correcting portion to adjust the three-dimensional effect by compensating for changes in the aperture stop diameter, thereby reducing the dependency on aperture stop size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a monocular image pickup apparatus uses a composite pixel structure to obtain three-dimensional images, then it eliminates the need for multiple image pickup apparatuses, but the image shift amount changes with aperture stop variations causing unstable three-dimensional effect
Solution Approach 1:
The patent calculates the image shift amount in advance based on the aperture stop diameter and focal length, and applies correction to the parallax information before generating the three-dimensional image. This preliminary correction ensures that the three-dimensional effect remains stable even when aperture stop variations occur, without requiring multiple image pickup apparatuses.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the aperture stop diameter is changed in a monocular image pickup apparatus, then the depth of field or exposure can be adjusted, but the image shift amount changes causing the three-dimensional effect to vary
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes a feedback mechanism where the aperture stop diameter and focal length are used to calculate the image shift amount, which then corrects the parallax information. This closed-loop approach allows the system to maintain stable three-dimensional effects while adapting aperture stop settings for different depth of field and exposure requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter used for parallax calculation from a fixed value to a dynamic value that depends on aperture stop diameter and focal length. By making the parallax correction parameter adaptive to optical system changes, the system maintains three-dimensional effect stability while allowing aperture and focus adjustments.
3Measurement precision
If the entire image pickup element uses composite pixel structure for both image shooting and ranging, then ranging performance is improved, but the image shift amount becomes dependent on aperture stop
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary calculation of the image shift amount based on aperture stop diameter and focal length before generating the three-dimensional image. This advance correction eliminates the dependency on aperture stop settings while maintaining the high ranging performance achieved through full-surface composite pixel structure.
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 solution stabilizes the three-dimensional effect by correcting the image shift amount and parallax based on aperture stop changes, ensuring consistent three-dimensional imaging regardless of aperture stop diameter variations.
Implementation Method 1
a pixel unit cell configured by arranging a plurality of pixels for one microlens
Implementation Method 2
a parallax detector to calculate the image shift amount
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
An image pickup apparatus (100) that generates a three-dimensional image, includes an image pickup element (114) including a micro lens (2) and a pixel unit cell (1) including a plurality of pixels (1a, 1b) arranged to receive light from the microlens (2), wherein the image pickup element is configured to output separated first image and second image signals for respective pixels of the pixel unit cell, a parallax detector (123) configured to calculate a parallax comprising an image shift amount between the first image signal and the second image signal, and an image correcting portion (120) configured to perform a correction to change the parallax, wherein the amount of change of the parallax depends on a change of the aperture stop (111).