Focused Plenoptic Camera Microlens Array Filtering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cameras fail to capture the directional information of light, resulting in a loss of optical data and limitations in capturing high dynamic range and refocusing capabilities, especially in action scenes or environments with varying light conditions.
Innovation Solution
A focused plenoptic camera design where microlenses are focused on the image plane created by the main lens, allowing for the capture of multiple microimages with different filters or apertures, enabling the capture of high dynamic range and spectral information in a single image, and enabling refocusing and 3D views.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If conventional cameras integrate radiance function over angular portion to capture 2-D image, then image capture is simple, but directional information of light is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The camera divides the imaging function into multiple microlenses arranged in an array, where each microlens captures light from a specific angular direction. This segmentation allows the system to preserve directional information by mapping different angles to different spatial positions on the sensor, rather than integrating all angles into a single pixel value.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the 4-D light field information (3 spatial dimensions + 1 angular dimension) into a 2-D sensor representation by using the microlens array to encode angular information in the spatial domain. Each microlens creates a microimage that contains both positional and angular information, effectively mapping higher-dimensional optical information onto a 2-D plane.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional cameras use single aperture, then device structure is simple, but dynamic range and spectral information capture are limited
Solution Approach 1:
Different microlenses in the array are equipped with different aperture sizes or spectral filters, allowing each local region to capture specific characteristics of light (e.g., different wavelengths, different intensity ranges). This local differentiation enables the system to capture high dynamic range and spectral information simultaneously across the image plane.
Solution Approach 2:
The microlens array system performs multiple functions simultaneously: it captures spatial information, angular information, spectral information, and dynamic range information all in a single exposure. Each microlens acts as a multi-functional unit that can be configured for specific measurement purposes while contributing to the overall image.
3Measurement precision
If microlenses are focused on main lens instead of image plane, then conventional plenoptic camera design is maintained, but spatial resolution is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of focusing the microlenses on the main lens (as in conventional plenoptic cameras), the patent inverts the approach by focusing the microlenses on the image plane. This inversion allows the microlenses to directly capture the focused light from the scene, thereby maximizing spatial resolution while still preserving angular information through the microlens array geometry.
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
The focused plenoptic camera achieves higher spatial resolution and captures a wider dynamic range, allowing for precise and high-quality images with improved refocusing and 3D capabilities compared to conventional cameras.
Implementation Method 1
the main lens maps the 3D world of the scene outside camera into a 3D world inside camera
Implementation Method 2
the microlenses are focused on the image of the scene created by the main lens at the focal plane, instead of being focused on the main lens itself
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus for capturing and rendering images with focused plenoptic cameras employing different filtering at different microlenses. In a focused plenoptic camera, the main lens creates an image at the focal plane. That image is re-imaged on the sensor multiple times by an array of microlenses. Different filters that provide different levels and/or types of filtering may be combined with different ones of the microlenses. A flat captured with the camera includes multiple microimages captured according to the different filters. Multiple images may be assembled from the microimages, with each image assembled from microimages captured using a different filter. A final image may be generated by appropriately combining the images assembled from the microimages. Alternatively, a final image, or multiple images, may be assembled from the microimages by first combining the microimages and then assembling the combined microimages to produce one or more output images.