Multispectral Imaging Device with Wavelength-Selective Optical Areas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional imaging devices face challenges in simultaneously capturing visible light and infrared light images using a single imaging device due to the limitations of color filters, including poor color reproducibility and difficulty in forming narrow-band spectral characteristics, which also result in image shifts when capturing moving objects.
Innovation Solution
The imaging apparatus employs an optical system with distinct optical surface areas that transmit different wavelength bands, allowing for the separation and simultaneous capture of multiple wavelength bands using a single imaging optical system, eliminating the need for dielectric multi-layer films on each pixel and preventing image shifts during motion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a color filter using an organic material is formed on each pixel, then the imaging device can capture color images, but the color reproducibility deteriorates due to wide wavelength bands and overlapping spectral characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging device is divided into multiple imaging units, each dedicated to a specific wavelength band (visible light, infrared, ultraviolet). This segmentation allows each unit to have optimized spectral characteristics without compromising the others, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and color reproducibility by eliminating the need for complex multi-layer filters on each pixel.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the spectral filtering function from the pixel level and relocates it to the imaging unit level. By placing wavelength-selective filters at the front of each imaging unit rather than on each pixel, the system achieves narrow-band spectral characteristics while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
2Manufacturing precision
If a dielectric multi-layer film is formed on each pixel to achieve narrow-band spectral characteristics, then color reproducibility improves, but manufacturing becomes expensive and difficult with very minute pixel sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into multiple imaging units with dedicated wavelength bands. This allows narrow-band filtering to be implemented at the unit level rather than requiring complex dielectric multi-layer films on each minute pixel, thus achieving high color reproducibility while maintaining ease of manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The spectral filtering function is extracted from the pixel level and implemented at the imaging unit level using wavelength-selective filters. This extraction eliminates the need for difficult and expensive dielectric multi-layer film formation on minute pixels while achieving the desired narrow-band spectral characteristics.
3Manufacturing precision
If images are captured by successively turning on white light and narrow-band light sources, then color information of narrow bands can be obtained, but image shifts occur due to time difference when capturing moving objects
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple wavelength band imaging capabilities into a single imaging device with multiple imaging units that operate simultaneously. Each imaging unit captures a different wavelength band at the same time, eliminating image shifts caused by temporal differences while maintaining narrow-band spectral precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging device is designed with multi-functionality to capture multiple wavelength bands (visible light, infrared, ultraviolet) simultaneously through a single optical system. This universal design allows the device to obtain color information of narrow bands without the time-division method, thus preventing image shifts in moving objects.
4Device complexity
If a single imaging device is used, then the device structure is simplified, but it becomes difficult to simultaneously obtain both visible light and infrared light image information
Solution Approach 1:
The single imaging device is segmented into multiple imaging units, each optimized for a specific wavelength band. This segmentation allows the device to simultaneously capture visible light, infrared, and ultraviolet images while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure compared to using multiple separate devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging device achieves multi-functionality by incorporating multiple imaging units with different spectral characteristics into a single system. This allows the device to simultaneously obtain image information across multiple wavelength bands (visible light, infrared, ultraviolet) while maintaining a unified device structure.
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
This configuration enables the capture of multispectral images with improved color reproducibility and stability, allowing for simultaneous imaging of multiple wavelength bands without image shifts, even when the object position changes over time.
Implementation Method 1
an optical device L1 having a first optical surface area D1 that transmits therethrough light of a first wavelength band and a second optical surface area D2 that transmits therethrough light of a second wavelength band
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4(a)~4(b)
AI summary
An imaging apparatus of the present invention includes: a lens optical system including a lens and a stop; an imaging device including at least a plurality of first pixels and a plurality of second pixels on which light having passed through the lens optical system is incident; and an arrayed optical device arranged between the lens optical system and the imaging device, wherein: the lens optical system includes, in a plane vertical to an optical axis, a first area that transmits therethrough light of a first wavelength band and a second area that transmits therethrough light of a second wavelength band different from the first wavelength band; and the arrayed optical device makes light having passed through the first area incident on the plurality of first pixels and light having passed through the second area incident on the plurality of second pixels.