Imaging Device Magnification Correction for Deep Depth of Field
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional imaging devices struggle to generate high-quality images with a deep depth of field, as existing methods often result in irregular object outlines due to varying image magnifications when focusing lenses are moved, leading to insufficient image content and degraded resolution.
Innovation Solution
The imaging device employs a controller to calculate the image magnification change rate based on the focus lens position, magnifies each image data piece to a predetermined size, and synthesizes them to produce still image data with a deeper depth of field, ensuring consistent object image sizes across multiple frames.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the focus lens position is changed to capture images at different focus depths, then the depth of field in the synthesized image is improved, but the image magnification varies causing irregular object outlines and degraded resolution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the magnification parameter of each captured image according to its focus lens position. By calculating the magnification change rate based on entrance pupil position and applying appropriate magnification adjustments, images taken at different focus depths are standardized to consistent magnification levels, enabling high-quality synthesis with deep depth of field without irregular object outlines
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical/physical constraints with computational processing. Instead of requiring fixed magnification through mechanical means, the system uses image processing to calculate and apply magnification change rates, substituting physical consistency requirements with digital correction methods
2Reliability
If multiple images are synthesized to increase depth of field, then the depth of field is improved, but image content becomes insufficient and resolution degrades
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies magnification parameter changes to each image based on focus lens position and entrance pupil position. This ensures that when images are synthesized, they maintain consistent object sizes and adequate image content, preventing information loss and resolution degradation while achieving deep depth of field
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses feedback from focus lens position and entrance pupil position calculations to dynamically adjust magnification parameters. This feedback mechanism ensures that each image contributes optimally to the synthesis, maintaining image content quality and resolution while achieving the desired depth of field effect
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging device includes: an imaging sensor; an optical system that changes an image magnification of a object image according to a position of a focus lens; and a controller that causes the imaging sensor to generate the plurality of pieces of image data by causing the imaging sensor to pick up the object image while moving the focus lens to generate still image data based on the plurality of pieces of image data. When generating the still image data, the controller finds an entrance pupil position of the optical system based on the position of the focus lens for each of the plurality of pieces of image data, and calculates an image magnification change rate indicating a change of the image magnification of the object image based on the found entrance pupil position, magnifies each of the plurality of pieces of image data such that a size of the object image indicated by each of the plurality of pieces of image data becomes a predetermined size, based on the corresponding image magnification change rate, and synthesizes the plurality of pieces of magnified image data to generate the still image data.