Stereo Camera Aperture Control for Multi-User Depth-of-Field
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing imaging technologies face challenges in capturing high-quality, realistic images for multiple devices due to depth-of-field issues in fixed-focus cameras and limitations in autofocus cameras, which result in low-quality and unrealistic images. Additionally, existing techniques are not suitable for multiple users as they can only focus on a single user's gaze.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves an imaging apparatus with a left camera and a right camera, each with an adjustable aperture. The apparatus captures a sequence of image pairs using different aperture sizes, allowing for improved depth-of-field and image quality. This enables high-quality, immersive, and realistic image generation for multiple users.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a fixed-focus camera is used for image capturing, then the device complexity is reduced, but the image quality deteriorates due to depth-of-field issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by implementing an adjustable aperture mechanism in the camera. The aperture can dynamically change its opening size to control the depth of field, allowing the camera to capture sharp images at different focal planes. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by enabling a relatively simple camera structure to achieve high image quality across varying depths without requiring complex autofocus systems.
2Manufacturing precision
If an autofocus camera is used to increase image resolution, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the depth-of-field deteriorates due to limited focal length adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by adjusting the aperture size parameter rather than changing the focal length. By varying the aperture opening from small to large, the system changes the depth of field parameter to match different viewing distances. This allows the autofocus camera to maintain high resolution while adapting to different depth requirements, resolving the contradiction between resolution and depth-of-field adaptability.
3Device complexity
If existing stereo pair camera techniques are used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability deteriorates because they can only serve a single user
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by making the aperture adjustable to serve multiple functions and multiple users. The same stereo camera pair can adapt its aperture size to accommodate different user preferences and viewing conditions. This allows a single camera system to provide optimized images for multiple users with different visual requirements, eliminating the need for multiple dedicated systems while maintaining multi-user adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging apparatus includes: a left camera and right camera; and processor(s) configured to: control the left and right cameras to capture pairs of left and right images, respectively, wherein a left image of one of two consecutive pairs and a right image of another of two consecutive pairs are captured using one of small aperture size(s) and large aperture size(s), whilst a right image of one of two consecutive pairs and a left image of another of two consecutive pairs are captured using any one of: (i) another of small aperture size(s) and large aperture size(s), (ii) one of small aperture size(s) and medium aperture size(s) and another of small aperture size(s) and medium aperture size(s), respectively, (iii) one of large aperture size(s) and medium aperture size(s) and another of large aperture size(s) and medium aperture size(s), respectively; and send the captured images to client device(s) or server(s).