Image Pickup Apparatus Parallax Calculation Transfer Range Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image pickup apparatuses face limitations in speed and accuracy due to long transfer times for pixel information and inconsistencies in image capture times across pixel groups, especially when dealing with fast-moving subjects, which affect parallax calculation accuracy.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a transfer range determining portion that switches between operating modes to optimize the transfer of image pickup signals, allowing for high-speed and accurate parallax calculations by selectively transferring signals from a subset of image pickup regions based on the subject's movement and required accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If all pixel information from four pixel groups is transferred to calculate parallax, then measurement precision is improved, but transfer time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The image pickup unit is divided into four separate pixel groups, each with its own drive circuit. The transfer range determining portion selectively activates and transfers data from only the necessary pixel groups (1 or 2 groups) rather than all four groups, segmenting the data transfer process to reduce overall transfer time while maintaining sufficient data for accurate parallax calculation.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of transferring all pixel information from all four pixel groups, the system transfers only the partial data necessary for parallax calculation. The transfer range determining portion identifies and transfers data from just the required pixel groups, performing partial action that suffices for the measurement task without the overhead of complete data transfer.
2Measurement precision
If all pixel information is transferred for parallax calculation, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and processing load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the image pickup unit into four independent pixel groups with separate drive circuits. This segmentation allows the transfer range determining portion to selectively activate only the necessary pixel groups for each parallax calculation task, reducing the complexity of coordinating and processing data from all four groups simultaneously while maintaining measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs partial data transfer by activating only the necessary pixel groups (1 or 2 out of 4) based on the specific measurement requirements. This partial action reduces the processing load and device complexity compared to always transferring and processing data from all four pixel groups, while still achieving accurate parallax calculations.
3Ease of manufacture
If rolling shutter CMOS sensor is used to reduce device complexity, then ease of manufacture is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to different image pickup times
Solution Approach 1:
The rolling shutter CMOS sensor is divided into four separate pixel groups, each with its own drive circuit. This segmentation allows independent control of image pickup timing for each group. The transfer range determining portion coordinates the drive circuits to ensure that images from the activated pixel groups are captured at the same time, eliminating the precision loss from different pickup times while maintaining the manufacturing advantages of rolling shutter technology.
Solution Approach 2:
The drive circuits for each pixel group are pre-configured to enable synchronized image pickup when multiple groups are activated. The transfer range determining portion preliminarily determines which pixel groups to activate and coordinates their timing before data transfer, ensuring that parallax calculation uses images captured at the same moment, thereby maintaining measurement precision.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention includes: a plurality of lens portions, each having at least one lens; a plurality of image pickup regions which are provided to correspond to the lens portions, respectively, and each of which has a light receiving surface substantially perpendicular to a direction of an optical axis of the corresponding lens portion; an image pickup signal input portion 133 which receives image pickup signals generated by the image pickup regions; a transfer range determining portion 144 which determines a transfer range of the image pickup signals transferred from the image pickup regions to the image pickup signal input portion 133; an image pickup region driving portion 132 which drives the image pickup regions such that the image pickup signals corresponding to the transfer range determined by the transfer range determining portion 144 are transferred to the image pickup signal input portion 133; and a parallax calculating portion 142 which calculates a parallax based on the image pickup signals transferred to the image pickup signal input portion 133, and the transfer range determining portion 144 switches between a first operating mode in which the image pickup signals generated by at least two image pickup regions of the plurality of image pickup regions are determined as the transfer range and a second operating mode in which the image pickup signals different from those of the first operating mode are determined as the transfer range.