In-Camera Digital Filters Correcting Optical Aberrations
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current digital imaging systems face challenges in optimizing optical imaging quality, particularly with wide-angle and zoom lenses, due to issues like lens aberrations, vignetting, and digital artifacts such as moiré and banding, which limit the resolution and contrast of images and require post-production corrections.
Innovation Solution
The system employs in-camera digital filters and sensor modifications, including nano-grids, to correct optical and digital aberrations in real-time, optimizing image quality by adjusting for specific lens types and environmental conditions, and providing advanced filtration and exposure control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If complex optical element configurations are used to improve image quality, then lens aberrations are corrected, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical/optical lens configurations with digital signal processing methods. Digital filters and algorithms are applied to correct lens aberrations, vignetting, and other optical defects after image capture, eliminating the need for increasingly complex optical element arrangements while maintaining or improving image quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the approach from modifying optical parameters (lens shapes, materials, configurations) to modifying digital parameters (pixel values, color channels, frequency components). By processing images in the digital domain, the system achieves aberration correction without adding optical complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If post-production corrections are applied to fix digital artifacts, then image quality improves, but loss of time occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements digital filters and correction algorithms that operate automatically at the time of image capture. Moiré reduction, banding correction, and other post-production fixes are performed in real-time during the imaging process, eliminating the need for separate post-production editing sessions and reducing time loss.
3Illumination intensity
If lens aperture is widened to increase light intake, then exposure quality improves, but lens aberrations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses digital processing to correct aberrations that occur when lenses are opened up. By applying digital filters and correction algorithms to the captured images, the system allows photographers to use wider apertures for better light intake while maintaining image quality through post-capture digital correction of the resulting aberrations.
Data Source
AI summary
A system is disclosed for the automated correction of optical and digital aberrations in a digital imaging system. The system includes several main parts, including (a) digital filters, (b) hardware modifications, (c) digital system corrections, (d) digital system dynamics and (e) network aspects. The system solves numerous problems in still and video photography that are presented in the digital imaging environment.