초록 ▼

Methods and apparatus for capturing or generating images using multiple optical chains operating in parallel are described. Pixel values captured by individual optical chains corresponding to the same scene area are combined to provide an image with at least some of the benefits which would have bee

Methods and apparatus for capturing or generating images using multiple optical chains operating in parallel are described. Pixel values captured by individual optical chains corresponding to the same scene area are combined to provide an image with at least some of the benefits which would have been provided by capturing an image of the scene using a larger lens than that of the individual lenses of the optical chain modules. By using multiple optical chains in parallel at least some benefits normally obtained from using a large lens can be obtained without the need for a large lens. Furthermore in at least some embodiments, a wide dynamic range can be supported through the use of multiple sensors with the overall supported dynamic range being potentially larger than that of the individual sensors. Some lens and/or optical chain configurations are designed for use in small handheld devices, e.g., cell phones.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A portable camera apparatus, comprising: a plurality of at least three optical chains, each optical chain in said plurality including an outer lens located in a front face of the portable camera apparatus, a light redirection element, and a sensor, said light redirection element changing the dire

1. A portable camera apparatus, comprising: a plurality of at least three optical chains, each optical chain in said plurality including an outer lens located in a front face of the portable camera apparatus, a light redirection element, and a sensor, said light redirection element changing the direction of optical rays passing along an optical axis of said outer lens by substantially 90 degrees to direct said optical rays passing along said optical axis onto the sensor of the optical chain in which said light redirection element and said lens are located, wherein the plurality of at least three optical chains includes:a first optical chain including a first outer lens positioned in a upper left corner portion of said front face, said first optical chain including a first light redirection element for directing light entering said first outer lens towards a lower right corner portion of said portable camera apparatus;a second optical chain including a second outer lens positioned in a upper right corner portion of said front face; anda third optical chain including a third outer lens positioned in a lower left corner portion of said front face, said third optical chain including a third light redirection element for directing light entering said third outer lens towards the upper right corner portion of said portable camera apparatus. 2. The portable camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second optical chain includes a second light redirection element for directing light entering said second outer lens towards a lower left corner portion of said portable camera apparatus. 3. The portable camera apparatus of claim 2, wherein said first optical chain includes a first inner lens between said first light redirection device and a first sensor of said first optical chain;wherein said second optical chain includes a second inner lens between said second light redirection device and a second sensor of said second optical chain; andwherein said third optical chain includes a third inner lens between said third light redirection device and a third sensor of said third optical chain. 4. The portable camera apparatus of claim 3, wherein the optical axes of outer lenses of at least two of said optical chains in said plurality of optical chains are parallel to each other but at least two mirrors corresponding to different optical chains are not parallel. 5. The portable camera apparatus of claim 4, wherein said first, second and third sensors are located on a surface of a cylinder. 6. The portable camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first light redirection element of the first optical chain is a mirror positioned at 45 degree to an optical axis of the first outer lens of said first optical chain;wherein the second light redirection element of the second optical chain is a second mirror positioned at 45 degree to an optical axis of the second outer lens of said second optical chain; andwherein the third light redirection element of the third optical chain is a third mirror positioned at 45 degree to an optical axis of the third outer lens of said third optical chain. 7. The portable camera apparatus of claim 1 wherein the light redirection device of at least one optical chain in said plurality of optical chains includes at least one prism. 8. The portable camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optical rays of at least the first and second optical chains cross after the optical rays passing through the first optical chain are redirected by said first light redirection device and after the optical rays passing through the second optical chain are redirected by said second light redirection device. 9. The portable camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of optical chains further includes: a fourth optical chain including a fourth outer lens positioned in a lower right corner portion of said front face, said fourth optical chain including a fourth light redirection element for directing light entering said fourth outer lens towards an upper left corner of said portable camera apparatus. 10. The portable camera apparatus of claim 9, further comprising: a fifth optical chain including a fifth outer lens positioned in a lower center portion of said front face, said fifth optical chain including a fifth light redirection element for directing light entering said fifth outer lens towards an upper center portion of said portable camera apparatus. 11. The portable camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first optical chain includes a first sensor located in said lower right corner portion of said portable camera apparatus. 12. The portable camera apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second optical chain includes a second sensor located in a lower left corner portion of said portable camera apparatus; andwherein the third optical chain includes a third sensor located in the upper right corner portion of the portable camera apparatus. 13. The camera apparatus of claim 12, wherein the plurality of optical chains further includes: a fourth optical chain including a fourth outer lens positioned in a lower right corner section of said front face, said fourth optical chain including a fourth light redirection element for directing light entering said fourth outer lens towards a fourth sensor included in an upper left corner of said portable camera apparatus. 14. The portable camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein said left and right portions of said camera are from the perspective of a person looking at the front face of said portable camera apparatus. 15. The portable camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first, second and third outer lenses are positioned near the perimeter of the front face of the portable camera apparatus. 16. The portable camera apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first, second and third outer lenses are located on a circle. 17. The portable camera apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a first drum on which i) a first filter of the first optical chain is mounted, ii) a second filter of the second optical chain is mounted; and iii) a third filter of the third optical chain is mounted. 18. The portable camera apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a second drum on which i) a first inner lens of the first optical chain is mounted, a second inner lens of the second optical chain is mounted; and ii) a third inner lens of the third optical chain is mounted. 19. The portable camera apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a first drum on which i) a first filter of the first optical chain is mounted, ii)a second filter of the second optical chain is mounted; and iii) a third filter of the third optical chain is mounted;a second drum on which i) a first inner lens of the first optical chain is mounted, a second inner lens of the second optical chain is mounted; and ii) a third inner lens of the third optical chain is mounted; andwherein one of the first and second drums is located inside the other one of the first and second drums.