Patent classifications
G02B7/1805
Methods and apparatus for capturing and/or combining images
In various embodiments light redirection device positions of one or more optical chains are moved between image capture times while the position of the camera device including the multiple optical chains remains fixed. The sequentially captured images are combined to form a larger image than is captured during a single time period. Multiple optical chains are used in parallel, each with its own image sensor and light redirection device, in some embodiments. Depth information may and in some embodiments is generated and used to combine the images in a manner intended to minimize or avoid parallax distortions in the composite image which is produced.
Prism apparatus and camera apparatus including the same
The present disclosure relates to a prism apparatus, and a camera apparatus including the same. The prism apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include: a prism configured to reflect input light toward a first reflected direction; a first actuator configured to change an angle of the prism about a first rotation axis to change the first reflected direction based on a first control signal; a lens configured to output the light reflected by the prism toward a second reflected direction; and a second actuator configured to change an angle of the lens about a second rotation axis to change the second reflected direction based on a second control signal. Accordingly, it is possible to implement the optical image stabilization (OIS) for the prism.
Actuator for driving reflector
An actuator for driving a reflector includes a movement frame including a reflector configured to reflect or refract light to a lens and a first magnet, a first support frame configured to provide a space of the movement frame to move, a first drive coil configured to generate an electromagnetic force in the first magnet to rotationally move the movement frame in a first direction based on the first support frame, a first rotation guide between the movement frame and the first support frame and having an arc shape so that the movement frame rotates in the first direction, and a first ball inside the first rotation guide, in which a center of curvature of the first rotation guide corresponds to a center of rotation of the reflector.
Prism actuator
The present embodiment relates to a prism actuator comprising: a housing; a holder having at least a part spaced apart from the housing; a prism disposed on the holder; a shape memory alloy member for connecting the housing and the holder to each other; and an elastic member for connecting the housing and the holder to each other, wherein the shape memory alloy member comprises first and second shape memory alloy members disposed on one side of the prism, the first shape memory alloy member connects an upper part of the holder and a lower part of the housing to each other, and the second shape memory alloy member connects a lower part of the holder and an upper part of the housing to each other.
Flexible arm and head-mounted display
The present invention provides a head mounted display and flexible arm that is easily bendable yet capable of maintaining a bent state thereof. The flexible arm 8 is constituted with a coil 80 and a tube 90 provided on an outer periphery thereof. The coil 80 is formed as a double-strand coil containing a wire rod, stainless used steel for coil springs with high tensile strength, (SUS304WPB) 82 having a round cross-section and a Stainless Used Steel wire rod (SUS) (SUS304) 84 having a triangular cross-section. On the outer periphery of the coil 80, the tube 90 made of silicone is provided so as to be in close contact therewith. By making an outside diameter of the coil 80 slightly larger than the inside diameter of the tube 90 (approximately 10% of the tube diameter), the tube 90 fits tightly to the outer periphery of the coil 80. The tube 90 is fitted over the coil 80 in a state stretched from a natural state thereof in a direction A in the figure. Accordingly, the flexible tube 90 attempts to move in the contraction direction, and therefore force in a direction compressing the coil 80 can be applied. Thus, the bent state of the flexible arm 8 can be maintained.
Prism-Based Focal Plane Adjustment for Thermal Compensation in a Lens Assembly
To compensate for a focal plane shifting away from an image plane due to a temperature change, an integrated image sensor and lens assembly includes an optical component and an optics compensator including passively actuating elements. The passively actuating elements couple the optical component to the inner surface of the lens mount. The passively actuating elements and the optics component are configured such that the focal plane is maintained to coincide with or substantially coincide with the image plane. The passively actuating elements and the optics component adjust the distance an incident ray travels in the optics compensator when the temperature changes to thereby maintaining the focal plane to coincide with or substantially coincide with the image plane.
Enhanced Field of View to Augment Three-Dimensional (3D) Sensory Space for Free-Space Gesture Interpretation
The technology disclosed relates to enhancing the fields of view of one or more cameras of a gesture recognition system for augmenting the three-dimensional (3D) sensory space of the gesture recognition system. The augmented 3D sensory space allows for inclusion of previously uncaptured of regions and points for which gestures can be interpreted i.e. blind spots of the cameras of the gesture recognition system. Some examples of such blind spots include areas underneath the cameras and/or within 20-85 degrees of a tangential axis of the cameras. In particular, the technology disclosed uses a Fresnel prismatic element and/or a triangular prism element to redirect the optical axis of the cameras, giving the cameras fields of view that cover at least 45 to 80 degrees from tangential to the vertical axis of a display screen on which the cameras are mounted.
INSPECTION APPARATUS, LINEARLY MOVABLE BEAM DISPLACER, AND METHOD
An inspection apparatus includes a radiation source, an optical system, and a detector. The radiation source is configured to generate a beam of radiation. The optical system is configured to receive and direct the beam along an optical axis and toward a target so as to produce scattered radiation from the target. The optical system includes a beam displacer. The beam displacer includes two or more reflective surfaces. The beam displacer is configured to receive the beam along the optical axis, perform reflections of the beam so as to displace the optical axis of the beam, move linearly in at least a first dimension to shift the displaced optical axis, and preserve an optical property of the beam such that the optical property is invariant to the linear movement. The detector is configured to receive the scattered radiation and to generate a measurement signal based on the scattered radiation.
IMAGE CAPTURE RELATED METHODS AND APPARATUS
Methods and apparatus relating to controlling optical chains (OCs) of a camera device to scan a scene area of interest, thereby capturing images of the scene area, in a synchronized manner are described. In various embodiments a synchronized rolling shutter read out of two or more image sensors included in two or more corresponding OCs is implemented controlling the sensors to read out rows of pixel values corresponding to a portion of the scene at the same time, e.g., concurrently. While two or more of the OCs are controlled to read out at the same time, some other OCs in the camera maybe controlled not to read out pixel values while other image sensors are reading out. In various embodiments the read out rate of the two or more sensors corresponding to two or more optical chains is controlled as a function of the focal lengths of the corresponding OCs.
METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING SENSORS TO CAPTURE IMAGES IN A SYNCHRONIZED MANNER
Methods and apparatus relating to capturing images of a scene area in a synchronized manner using a plurality of optical chains are described. In various embodiments image sensors corresponding to the plurality of optical chains of a camera are operated in rolling shutter mode to read out rows of pixel values corresponding to a current scan position when the image sensors have a row of pixel values corresponding to the current scan position. In some embodiments a scene area of interest is captured by initiating a scan and thus image capture of the scene area by one or more optical chains which are operated in a coordinated manner. In some embodiments a controller controls the plurality of image sensors to perform a read out of pixel values in a synchronized manner, e.g., with rows of pixel values being read out sequentially in accordance with operation of a rolling shutter implementation.