Multi-Optical Imaging System Parallax Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing imaging apparatuses struggle to acquire high-resolution images from moving subjects and moving images due to uneven pseudo-high resolution and large parallax, which requires complex computation and low accuracy in detecting pixel parallax for super-resolution processing.
Innovation Solution
The imaging apparatus employs a 2D arrangement of multiple imaging optical systems with different shift amounts relative to their corresponding imaging regions, allowing for simultaneous acquisition of high-resolution images from moving subjects and moving images by setting distinct angles of view for each pixel, reducing the impact of parallax and maintaining image quality across varying distances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If equal shift amounts are used in respective wavelength regions, then the device complexity is reduced, but uneven pseudo-high resolution is achieved and image quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by setting different shift amounts for different wavelength regions (color channels). Specifically, the shift amount for the red channel is set to 1/2 pixel, the green channel to 1/4 pixel, and the blue channel to 1/8 pixel. This localized differentiation ensures that pixels of the same wavelength region are evenly distributed in the reconstructed image, achieving uniform pseudo-high resolution across all color channels while maintaining reasonable device complexity.
2Device complexity
If a single imaging apparatus is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but large parallax occurs and computation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments a single imaging apparatus into multiple imaging optical systems (first, second, and third imaging optical systems) with different shift amounts. Each imaging optical system captures images with a specific phase offset, allowing the system to acquire multiple phase information simultaneously. This segmentation eliminates the need for time-consuming parallax detection and rearrangement computations while maintaining manageable device complexity through integrated optical design.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple imaging apparatuses are used to reduce parallax, then image quality is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple imaging optical systems into a single integrated imaging apparatus. The first, second, and third imaging optical systems are combined in one device, each with different shift amounts (1/2 pixel, 1/4 pixel, and 1/8 pixel respectively). This merging approach achieves the image quality benefits of multiple apparatuses while avoiding the increased device complexity and cost, as all systems share common structural components and are processed as a unified device.
4Manufacturing precision
If parallel flat plate-shaped transparent members are used for pixel shift, then the shift amount can be controlled, but the device thickness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the parallel flat plate-shaped transparent members from the optical system. Instead of using these additional components to achieve pixel shift, the invention directly designs imaging optical systems with different inherent shift amounts. This extraction removes the source of increased device thickness while preserving the shift amount control capability through optimized optical system configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging apparatus includes a plurality of imaging optical systems, and an imaging device having a plurality of imaging regions, each corresponding to one of the plurality of imaging optical systems. The plurality of imaging optical systems are arranged such that (2M+1)×(2N+1) imaging optical systems are arranged two-dimensionally in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction, where M and N are integers of 1 or more. A difference between a shift amount of the reference imaging optical system and a shift amount of an imaging optical system other than the reference imaging optical system is 2×Km/(2M+1) pixels in a horizontal direction and 2×Kn/(2N+1) pixels in a vertical direction, where Km is an integer satisfying −M≤Km≤M, and Kn is an integer satisfying −N≤Kn≤N.