Imaging Device Multiple-Property Lens Crosstalk Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing imaging devices with multiple-property lenses face challenges in accurately separating images from different optical properties due to crosstalk issues, which complicates manufacturing and increases costs, and they often require additional structures like microlenses or light shielding masks, hindering the miniaturization of sensor pixels.
Innovation Solution
An imaging device using a single image sensor with a multiple-property lens that employs a checker-pattern arrangement of light receiving elements with different opening sizes to separate and process images from different optical systems, allowing for crosstalk removal through matrix calculations to produce clean images from crosstalk images.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a directional sensor with angular property is used to separate images from different optical properties, then image separation is achieved, but crosstalk components remain and manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The light receiving element is divided into multiple regions (first light receiving region and second light receiving region) with different opening sizes. Each region receives light from different optical systems through the multiple-property lens, enabling spatial separation of images with different optical properties without requiring complex directional sensor structures.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the light receiving element are assigned different opening sizes to create local quality variations. The first light receiving region has a first opening size optimized for one optical system, while the second light receiving region has a second opening size optimized for another optical system, allowing each region to selectively receive light from specific optical systems.
2Measurement precision
If additional structures like microlenses or light shielding masks are added to achieve directional sensing, then image separation is improved, but manufacturing steps and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines the multiple-property lens with a simple light receiving element that has regions of different opening sizes. This merging eliminates the need for separate directional sensor structures such as microlenses or light shielding masks, reducing manufacturing steps while maintaining the capability to separate images from different optical systems.
3Measurement precision
If light shielding masks are disposed in light receiving cells to achieve angular property, then directional sensitivity is improved, but pixel size miniaturization is hindered
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adding light shielding masks that occupy physical space, the invention changes the parameter of opening size in different regions of the light receiving element. This parameter change approach achieves directional sensitivity without increasing pixel size, as the different opening sizes are integrated into the pixel structure itself rather than being added as separate components.
4Adaptability or versatility
If one microlens is allocated to multiple light receiving cells to create angular property, then directional sensing capability is achieved, but manufacturing accuracy requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the directional sensing function from the microlens allocation approach and implements it through the opening size variation in different regions of the light receiving element. This eliminates the need for precise microlens allocation to multiple cells, significantly reducing manufacturing accuracy requirements while maintaining directional sensing capability.
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
Enables the simultaneous imaging of multiple property images with reduced manufacturing steps and costs, achieving smaller pixel sizes and improved image quality by effectively removing crosstalk components.
Implementation Method 1
a multiple-property lens having a first area with a first property and a second area with a second property different from the first property
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided are an imaging device, an imaging method, and an image processing program that can image, at the same time, images corresponding to each property of a variable-focus lens having a plurality of properties by using an image sensor having the same structure as a typical image sensor. The imaging device includes a multiple-property lens that includes a first area having a first property and a second area having a second property different from the first property, an image sensor in which a first light receiving element 25A and a second light receiving element 25B having a different opening size of a light receiving section from the first light receiving element 25A are two-dimensionally arranged, and a crosstalk removal processing unit that removes a crosstalk component from each of a first crosstalk image acquired from the first light receiving element 25A of the image sensor and a second crosstalk image acquired from the second light receiving element to generate a first image and a second image respectively having the first property and the second property of the multiple-property lens.