Imaging Sensor Tilt Control for Depth Range Focus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional techniques for tilting an imaging sensor to focus on objects at different distances fail to maintain a wide depth range focus when the focal plane is translated, leading to a narrowing of the depth range that can be captured, and the position of the focal plane cannot be adjusted without changing the tilt, limiting the effectiveness of sensor inclination.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus with a sensor driving unit to incline the imaging sensor, a focus lens driving unit to change the focus lens position, and a control unit to manage the imaging range and sensor angle, allowing for precise control of the focal plane position and tilt to maintain a predetermined relationship between initial and altered focal planes, ensuring a constant depth range focus.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the sensor is inclined to focus on objects at different distances, then the focal plane can be tilted to capture objects from near to far, but the depth range that can be captured narrows when the focal plane is translated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic coordination between sensor inclination angle and focus lens position. The control unit continuously adjusts both parameters to maintain the focal plane at the desired height while preserving the tilted orientation, enabling the system to adapt to different focusing requirements without losing depth range coverage
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes multiple parameters simultaneously - the inclination angle of the sensor and the position of the focus lens - to achieve focal plane translation while maintaining the tilted focal plane orientation. This coordinated parameter adjustment allows the system to overcome the limitation where translating the focal plane would change the tilt and narrow the depth range
2Ease of operation
If the focus lens is moved to translate the focal plane while the sensor is inclined, then the focal plane position can be changed, but the tilt of the focal plane changes which narrows the depth range
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit monitors the current inclination angle of the sensor and the position of the focus lens, and adjusts these parameters in coordination to maintain the focal plane at the desired position and tilt. This feedback-based control ensures that translating the focal plane does not compromise the tilted orientation or the depth range focus
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the sensor inclination angle and focus lens position together rather than moving the focus lens independently. This dynamic coordination maintains the relationship between the focal plane position and tilt, preventing the narrowing of depth range while enabling smooth focal plane translation
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes a sensor driving unit configured to incline an imaging sensor with respect to a plane orthogonal to an optical axis of an imaging optical system, a focus lens driving unit configured to change a position of a focus lens in the imaging optical system, a range change unit configured to change an imaging range, and a control unit configured to control the position of the focus lens, the imaging range, and an angle of the imaging sensor so that a first inclined focal plane and a second inclined focal plane after a position of the first inclined focal plane is changed have a predetermined relationship.