초록 ▼

There are many inventions described herein. Some aspects are directed to methods and/or apparatus to provide relative movement between optics, or portion(s) thereof, and sensors, or portion(s) thereof, in a digital camera. The relative movement may be in any of various directions. In some aspects, r

There are many inventions described herein. Some aspects are directed to methods and/or apparatus to provide relative movement between optics, or portion(s) thereof, and sensors, or portion(s) thereof, in a digital camera. The relative movement may be in any of various directions. In some aspects, relative movement between an optics portion, or portion(s) thereof, and a sensor portion, or portion(s) thereof, are used in providing any of various features and/or in the various applications disclosed herein, including, for example, but not limited to, increasing resolution, optical and electronic zoom, image stabilization, channel alignment, channel-channel alignment, image alignment, lens alignment, masking, image discrimination, range finding, 3D imaging, auto focus, mechanical shutter, mechanical iris, multi and hyperspectral imaging, and/or combinations thereof. In some aspects, movement is provided by actuators, for example, but not limited to MEMS actuators, and by applying appropriate control signal thereto.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A digital camera comprising: an array of photo detectors configured to sample an intensity of light; an optics portion disposed in an optical path of the array of photo detectors; a processor operatively coupled to the array of photo detectors, wherein the processor is config

What is claimed is: 1. A digital camera comprising: an array of photo detectors configured to sample an intensity of light; an optics portion disposed in an optical path of the array of photo detectors; a processor operatively coupled to the array of photo detectors, wherein the processor is configured to generate an image based at least in part on data which is representative of the intensity of light sampled by the array of photo detectors; and a first actuator configured to provide relative movement between at least a portion of the array of photo detectors and at least a portion of the optics portion, wherein the first actuator is further configured to receive an actuator control signal from the processor, and wherein the movement between at least the portion of the array of photo detectors and at least the portion of the optics portion is in response to the actuator control signal. 2. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the first actuator is coupled to the array of photo detectors so that the array of photo detectors moves relative to the optics portion. 3. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the first actuator is coupled to the array of photo detectors, and further comprising a second actuator coupled to the optics portion. 4. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the first actuator is configured to move at least the portion of the optics portion in a direction parallel to an image plane defined by the array of photo detectors. 5. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the first actuator is configured to move at least the portion of the optics portion in a direction perpendicular to an image plane defined by the array of photo detectors. 6. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the first actuator is configured to move at least the portion of the optics portion in a direction oblique to an image plane defined by the array of photo detectors. 7. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the first actuator is configured to provide angular movement of at least the portion of the array of photo detectors relative to at least the portion of the optics portion. 8. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the array of photo detectors-and the processor are integrated on or in a semiconductor substrate. 9. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the image is based on first data representative of the intensity of light sampled by the array of photo detectors when the array of photo detectors is at a first position relative to the optics portion, and second data representative of the intensity of light sampled by the array of photo detectors when the array of photo detectors is at a second position relative to the optics portion. 10. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the portion of the optics portion comprises a lens. 11. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the portion of the optics portion comprises a filter. 12. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the portion of the optics portion comprises at least one of a mask or a polarizer. 13. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive an input signal indicative of an operating mode, and to control the first actuator based at least in part on the input signal. 14. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the light sampled by the array of photo detectors has a wavelength specific to the array of photo detectors. 15. The digital camera of claim 14, wherein the optics portion passes the light having the wavelength onto an image plane of the array of photo detectors. 16. The digital camera of claim 14, wherein the optics portion is configured to filter light that does not have the wavelength specific to the array of photo detectors. 17. The digital camera of claim 1, further comprising a positioner configured to define a seat for the optics portion. 18. The digital camera of claim 17, wherein the positioner is further configured to define the optical path. 19. The digital camera of claim 17, wherein the first actuator is coupled to the positioner to provide movement of at least the portion of the optics portion. 20. The digital camera of claim 17, further including an integrated circuit die that includes the array of photo detectors. 21. The digital camera of claim 20, wherein the positioner is disposed superjacent the integrated circuit die. 22. The digital camera of claim 20, wherein the positioner is bonded to the integrated circuit die. 23. The digital camera of claim 20, further comprising a spacer disposed between the positioner and the integrated circuit die, wherein the spacer is bonded to the integrated circuit die and the positioner is bonded to the spacer. 24. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the first actuator is configured to move the portion of the optics portion along a first axis. 25. The digital camera of claim 24, wherein the first actuator is further configured to move at least the portion of the optics portion along a second axis, wherein the second axis is different than the first axis. 26. The digital camera of claim 1, wherein the first actuator comprises a micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) actuator. 27. A method comprising: causing a first actuator to provide movement between an array of photo detectors of a digital camera and a lens of the digital camera so that the array of photo detectors and the lens are in a first position, wherein the lens is disposed in an optical path of the array of photo detectors, wherein the first actuator is caused to provide the movement in response to an actuator control signal; sampling an intensity of light with the array of photo detectors and the lens while the array of photo detectors and the lens are in the first position; and generating an image based at least in part on data which is representative of the intensity of the light. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the first actuator is configured to move the array of photo detectors relative to the lens. 29. The method of claim 27, wherein the first actuator is configured to move the lens relative to the array of photo detectors. 30. The method of claim 27, further comprising causing a second actuator to provide additional movement between the array of photo detectors and the lens so that the array of photo detectors and the lens are in the first position, wherein the first actuator is configured to move the array of photo detectors and the second actuator is configured to move the lens. 31. The method of claim 27, further comprising: causing the first actuator to provide movement between the array of photo detectors and the lens so that the array of photo detectors and the lens are in a second position; and sampling the intensity of the light with the array of photo detectors and the lens while the array of photo detectors and the lens are in the second position, wherein the data used to generate the image comprises first data representative of the intensity of the light sampled from the first position and second data representative of the intensity of the light sampled from the second position. 32. The method of claim 27, wherein the actuator control signal is based at least in part on a signal provided by the array of photo detectors. 33. The method of claim 27, wherein the actuator control signal is based at least in part on an operating mode of the digital camera. 34. The method of claim 27, wherein the first actuator is configured to move the lens in a direction parallel to an image plane defined by the array of photo detectors. 35. The method of claim 27, wherein the first actuator is configured to move the lens in a direction perpendicular to an image plane defined by the array of photo detectors. 36. The method of claim 27, further comprising filtering the light with the lens so that the light sampled by the array of photo detectors has a wavelength that is specific to the array of photo detectors. 37. An apparatus comprising: first means for providing movement between an array of photo detectors of a digital camera and an optics portion of the digital camera so that the array of photo detectors and the optics portion are in a first position; means for receiving an actuator control signal to control an amount of the movement between the array of photo detectors and the optics portion; means for sampling an intensity of light incident on the array of photo detectors while the optics portion and the array of photo detectors are in the first position; and means for generating an image based at least in part on data which is representative of the intensity of the light. 38. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising means for filtering the light with the lens so that the light sampled by the array of photo detectors has a wavelength that is specific to the array of photo detectors. 39. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the actuator control signal is based at least in part on a signal provided by the array of photo detectors. 40. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the means for sampling is further configured to sample the intensity of the light with the array of photo detectors and the optics portion in a second position, wherein the data used to generate the image comprises first data representative of the intensity of the light sampled from the first position and second data representative of the intensity of the light sampled from the second position. 41. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the first means for providing movement is configured to move the array of photo detectors, and further comprising second means for providing movement that is configured to move the optics portion. 42. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the first means for providing movement is configured to move the optics portion in a direction that is parallel or perpendicular to an image plane defined by the array of photo detectors. 43. A tangible computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by a digital camera, cause the digital camera to perform a method comprising: adjusting a position of a lens of the digital camera relative to an array of photo detectors of the digital camera so that the array of photo detectors and the lens are in a first position; receiving an actuator control signal to control the adjusting of the position of the lens and the adjusting of the position of the array of photo detectors; sampling an intensity of light with the array of photo detectors and the lens while the array of photo detectors and the lens are in the first position; and generating an image based at least in part on data which is representative of the intensity of the light. 44. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 43, further comprising adjusting a position of the array of photo detectors relative to the lens so that the array of photo detectors and the lens are in the first position. 45. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 43, wherein the actuator control signal is based at least in part on one or more of a signal provided by the array of photo detectors or an operating mode of the digital camera.