VR Stereoscopic Optical Arrangement for Compact Hemispherical Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing VR display technologies face challenges in producing high-quality stereoscopic images with a hemispherical field of view due to limitations in camera design, such as the need for two bulky cameras or small, low-quality consumer-grade lenses and sensors that fail to accurately replicate human eye spacing and image capture capabilities.
Innovation Solution
An optical arrangement using two high-quality fisheye lenses positioned to mimic human eye spacing, with an optical system to bend light rays and adjust flange focal distances, allowing images to fit onto a single high-resolution sensor, thereby creating stereoscopic images with a hemispherical field of view.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If two bulky cameras are used to capture stereoscopic images, then the field of view and image quality are improved, but the device size and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two fisheye lens systems into a single integrated optical arrangement that captures stereoscopic images. The first and second fisheye lenses are positioned adjacent to each other with their object sides facing the same direction, allowing both lenses to capture images simultaneously and project them onto a single image sensor, thereby achieving high-quality stereoscopic capture without requiring two separate bulky camera bodies
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses optical elements (mirrors or prisms) to bend the optical paths of light rays from the fisheye lenses. By introducing dimensional changes in the light path through reflection or refraction, the system accommodates the hemispherical field of view from both lenses within the constraints of a compact camera body, effectively using spatial transformation to resolve the size-quality tradeoff
2Device complexity
If small consumer-grade lenses and sensors are used, then the device size is reduced, but the ability to accurately replicate human eye spacing and image capture capabilities deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies that the distance between the centers of the two fisheye lenses should be approximately 65 millimeters, which replicates the average human interpupillary distance. This parameter change in lens spacing, combined with using fisheye lenses of sufficient diameter (less than 65mm but large enough for quality capture), allows accurate human eye spacing replication within a compact form factor, overcoming the limitations of smaller consumer-grade systems
3Device complexity
If the flange focal distance is kept at its initial value, then the optical path is simpler, but the images formed are too large to fit on the image sensor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an optical arrangement containing optical elements (such as relay lenses or beam splitters) positioned between the fisheye lenses and the image sensor. These intermediary optical components modify the flange focal distance and redirect the light paths, enabling the large hemispherical images captured by the fisheye lenses to be properly scaled and positioned onto the image sensor, thereby resolving the conflict between optical path simplicity and image fit
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 solution enables high-quality stereoscopic images with a natural depth perception and hemispherical field of view, overcoming the limitations of dual-camera setups and low-quality consumer-grade lenses, providing a more immersive VR experience.
Implementation Method 1
The optical arrangement directs the first light rays and the second light rays onto an image sensor, and bends optical axes of the first and second light rays
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus and method are disclosed to produce a stereoscopic image with a hemispherical field of view. In an implementation, the apparatus includes an optical arrangement to receive first light rays from a first fisheye lens and second light rays from a second fisheye lens. The first fisheye lens and the second fisheye lens are positioned adjacent to each other and an object side of each of the first and second fisheye lenses faces a first plane. The optical arrangement is to direct the first light rays and the second light rays onto an image sensor and bend optical axes of the first and second light rays such that the first light rays are projected onto the image sensor alongside the second light rays.