Image Sensor Tilt Shading Correction via Driver and Corrector

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional image capturing apparatuses face issues with image quality due to shading effects caused by varying tilt angles of image sensors and lenses, leading to non-uniform optical characteristics and degraded image quality.

Innovation Solution

An image capturing apparatus with a driver to incline the image sensor or lens with respect to the optical axis and a corrector to perform shading correction based on the inclination angle, ensuring consistent image quality by adjusting the tilt angle and aperture settings.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the tilt image-capturing function is used to increase depth of field, then the imaging state is improved, but shading occurs and image quality is degraded

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimaging stateVSAvoidshading

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs shading correction in advance by capturing a correction image with a uniform white surface, calculating correction coefficients for each pixel based on the tilt angle, and applying these coefficients to compensate for shading effects before actual image capture

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the tilt angle parameter of the image sensor and adjusts the aperture parameter to control the depth of field, while simultaneously adjusting the shading correction coefficients based on the tilt angle to maintain image quality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If the tilt angle of the image sensor is freely changed, then the depth of field can be adjusted, but optical characteristics change and shading becomes non-uniform

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetilt angle adjustmentVSAvoidoptical characteristics

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent systematically varies the tilt angle parameter and captures correction images at each angle, then calculates and stores correction coefficients specific to each tilt angle, enabling the system to adapt to different optical characteristics while maintaining uniform shading correction

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses the captured correction images as feedback to calculate accurate shading correction coefficients, which are then applied to subsequent images to compensate for shading effects caused by different tilt angles

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Manufacturing precision

If a plurality of cameras are set to ensure good image capture, then image quality is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoidnumber of cameras

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables a single camera to perform multiple functions by combining tilt image-capturing capability with dynamic shading correction, allowing one camera to replace multiple cameras and achieve good imaging quality across different depth ranges

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11146734B2Image capturing apparatus and image monitoring system

Publication Date: 2021.10.12 CANON KK

AI summary

An image-capturing apparatus comprises an image sensor, a driver configured to incline at least one of the image sensor and an image-capturing optical system with respect to a plane perpendicular to an optical axis of the image-capturing optical system, and a corrector configured to perform shading correction on an image-capturing signal based on an inclination angle of the at least one of the image sensor and the image-capturing optical system with respect to the plane.