588 results about "Compound eye" patented technology

A compound-eye imaging device comprises an imaging device body having 9 optical lenses and a solid-state imaging element for imaging unit images formed by the optical lenses. Assuming that the combination of each of the optical lenses with a corresponding divided area of the solid-state imaging element to image each of the corresponding unit images is an imaging unit, thereby forming multiple imaging units, the respective imaging units have randomly different optical imaging conditions. For example, the focal lengths of the 9 optical lenses are set to have random values in which the optical lenses are arranged to have random distances between adjacent ones thereof in a direction parallel to the major surface of the solid-state imaging element. This compound-eye imaging device substantially prevents unit images formed by respective imaging units from being the same, making it possible to easily increase the definition of a reconstructed image.

An object distance deriving device comprises: a compound-eye imaging device having imaging units with optical lenses randomly arranged for the respective imaging units; and a distance calculation unit to calculate an object distance using images captured by the compound-eye imaging device. The distance calculation unit: sets temporary distances z (S1); calculates an imaging process matrix [Hz] according to a temporary distance z (S2); estimates a high-resolution image by super-resolution processing using the imaging process matrix [Hz] (S3); uses the estimated high-resolution image to calculate an evaluation value distribution E for evaluating the temporary distance z (S4); repeats steps S2 to S4 for all temporary distances z (S5); and determines, as an object distance, one temporary distance z giving a minimum evaluation value in the evaluation value distributions E. This makes it possible to accurately derive the object distance even if the baseline length of the compound-eye imaging device is limited.

A three-dimensional object imaging device comprises a compound-eye imaging unit and an image reconstructing unit for reconstructing an image of a three-dimensional object based on multiple unit images captured by the imaging unit. Based on the unit images obtained by the imaging unit, the image reconstructing unit calculates a distance (hereafter “pixel distance”) between the object and the imaging unit for each pixel forming the unit images, and rearranges the unit images pixel-by-pixel on a plane at the pixel distance to create a reconstructed image. Preferably, the image reconstructing unit sums a high-frequency component reconstructed image created from the multiple unit images with a lower noise low-frequency component unit image selected from low-frequency component unit images created from the multiple unit images so as to form a reconstructed image of the three-dimensional object. This makes it possible to obtain a reconstructed image with high definition easily by a simple process.

An imaginary object plane is set in front of an imaging device body (plane setting step). A part of optical conditions of optical lenses are changed as variables, and positions of points (pixel observation points) on the imaginary object plane where lights coming from pixels of a solid-state imaging element and back-projected through the optical lenses are calculated (pixel observation point calculating step). The dispersion in position of the calculated pixel observation points is evaluated (evaluating step). Finally, a set of values of the variables giving maximum evaluated dispersion of the calculated pixel observation points is determined as optimum optical condition of the optical lenses (condition determining step). This reduces the number of pixels which image the same portions of the target object, making it possible to reduce portions of the same image information in multiple unit images, and to stably obtain a reconstructed image having a high definition.

An image management method which creates and records two or more real images and two or more thumbnail images from two or more images by viewpoints photographed by two or more image pickup devices corresponding to the viewpoints, wherein the real images include a stereoscopic image including the images by viewpoints, a common image range cut from the images by viewpoints and a whole image synthesized from the images by viewpoints, and the thumbnail images include two or more thumbnail images y each viewpoint corresponding to each of images by viewpoints, a 3D thumbnail image corresponding to the stereoscopic image, and a whole thumbnail image corresponding to the whole image.

An integrated circuit-based compound eye includes a plurality of photodetector elements disposed on a semiconductor substrate. A compound light directing member includes a light pipe bundle wherein at least some of the light pipes are to individually direct light energy from one or more sources onto one or more of the photodetector elements. The compound light directing member is the primary mechanism to direct light energy onto the one or more of the photodetector elements. Outputs of the photodetector elements are electrically coupled in such a way that an image associated with the source may be synthesized at output circuitry.For another aspect, a compound exposure determining member includes a plurality of light scanning elements, each of the light scanning elements including an integrated photodetector. Each of the light scanning elements is controllable to vary an angle of the photodetector with respect to a substrate to determine from which point sources and angles light energy is received at the photodetector.

A hybrid, wide angle imaging system combines high sensitivity superposition arrays with a high resolution apposition array to generate distortion free images with an infinite depth of field. A conformal, superposition array of Keplerian telescope objectives focuses multiple apertures of light through the tubes of a louver baffle. The baffle tubes are terminated by field stops that separate the focused light into inverted, intermediate sub-images. A superposition array of field lenses, positioned immediately after the field stops, reverses the angles of the light beams. An apposition array of erector lenses, linked optically to the superposition arrays and field stops, refocuses and adjoins the beams into a single, upright image. The upright image is formed on the convex surface of a fiber optic imaging taper, which transfers the image to the flat bottom of the taper where it can be viewed through an eyepiece or digitized by a detector array.

An optical filter array (2) having a plurality of optical filters (2a to 2d) and a light shielding block (6) having light shielding walls (61a to 61d) forming a plurality of openings (6a to 6d) independent from each other are placed between a lens module (7) integrally having a plurality of lenses (1a to 1d) arranged on a single plane and a plurality of imaging regions (4a to 4d). The light shielding block is provided with first sliding surfaces (66 to 69). The lens module is provided with second sliding surfaces (56 to 59) sliding on the first sliding surfaces so that the lens module can rotate with respect to the light shielding block with an axis normal to the plurality of imaging regions as a rotation center axis. Thus, a small, thin, and low-cost compound eye camera module can be realized.

An optical filter array (2) having a plurality of optical filters (2a to 2d) and a light shielding block (6) having light shielding walls (61a to 61d) forming a plurality of openings (6a to 6d) independent from each other are placed between a lens module (7) integrally having a plurality of lenses (1a to 1d) arranged on a single plane and a plurality of imaging regions (4a to 4d). The light shielding block is provided with first sliding surfaces (66 to 69). The lens module is provided with second sliding surfaces (56 to 59) sliding on the first sliding surfaces so that the lens module can rotate with respect to the light shielding block with an axis normal to the plurality of imaging regions as a rotation center axis. Thus, a small, thin, and low-cost compound eye camera module can be realized.

An image-taking apparatus is disclosed which is easy to use and is capable of a search for a person or walking support without fail. The image-taking apparatus comprises a compound eye optical unit, an image-pickup device which photoelectrically converts an object image formed by the compound eye optical unit, and a transmission unit which transmits image information provided by using the image-pickup device. The compound eye optical unit and the image-pickup device are held by a hold member which is provided with an attachment member for attachment to a user.

A car side-view camera has, on the side of a car, a side turn lamp housing containing a compound-eye imaging device and a near-infrared lamp forming the camera. The compound-eye imaging device has 6 imaging units in 2 rows 3 columns. Three imaging units in one row are provided with an infrared cut filter. The imaging units in left and right columns are provided with rectangular prisms to shift light entrance zones left and right. The microprocessor sets the near-infrared lamp in off-state for image capture during the day to combine 3 unit images by the imaging units with the infrared cut filter into a panoramic image, and switches the near-infrared lamp to on-state for image capture at night to combine 3 unit images by the imaging units without the infrared cut filter into a panoramic image. This camera can stably obtain a clear image regardless of day or night.

An artificial compound eye comprising a plurality of three-dimensional (3D) self-aligned polymer microlenses disposed on a curvilinear surface; and a plurality of waveguides, wherein each of the waveguides is in optical communication with one of the plurality of polymer microlenses.

The invention discloses a fly-simulation visual online detection device and method for surface defects, belonging to the technical field of industrial visual detection and image processing. According to the invention, the surface defects under a complicated background are detected by combining a common CCD (Charge-coupled Device) image sensor with a surface defect detection algorithm. According to the principle of the fly-simulation visual online detection device, the low contrast between the defects and the background needed by the traditional defect detection algorithm is broken through, the obtained scene images can be qualitatively approximate to compound-eye low-resolution images by simulating a fly compound-eye visual information processing method in lower-resolution and low-contrast scene images, and the accuracy is higher. Meanwhile, aiming at the surface defects static in a scene, the fly-simulation visual online detection device also can discover the existence of the surface defects, therefore reliable information is provided for subsequent treatment.

A compound-eye imaging device comprising: an optical lens array with multiple integrated optical lenses having mutually parallel optical axes; a photodetector array placed at a predetermined distance from the optical lens array for imaging multiple images (referred to as single-eye images) formed by the optical lenses; and a microprocessor for reading the single-eye images imaged by the photodetector array. The image reading mode of the microprocessor is switchable between an all-read mode in which all the single-eye images on the photodetector array are sequentially read, and a partial-read mode in which a part of the single-eye images thereon are selectively read. The image reading speed of the microprocessor is changeable. The compound-eye imaging device enables a high frame rate and a high resolution imaging while reducing an increase in a clock frequency for the frame rate and thus reducing an increase in power consumption.

A compound-eye imaging device comprises: an optical lens array with integrated optical lenses; a stop member for shielding unnecessary ambient light from entering the optical lens array; a photodetector array placed at a predetermined distance from the optical lens array for imaging images formed by the optical lenses; and a light shielding block placed between the two arrays for partitioning a space between the two arrays into a matrix of spaces as seen on a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of each optical lens to prevent lights from the optical lenses from interfering each other. The optical lenses are formed of a molded glass having a refractive index distribution to increase the refractive index of each optical lens in the direction of light propagation. The focal length of each optical lens can be reduced as compared with an ordinary lens, thereby reducing the thickness of the compound-eye imaging device.

Compound eyes of insects are great optical system for imaging and sensing by the nature creator, which is an unsurpassed challenge due to its precision and small size. Here, we use meta-lens consisting of GaN nano-antenna to open the fascinating doorway to full-color achromatic light field imaging and sensing. A 60×60 multi-channels meta-lens array is used for effectively capturing multi-dimensional optical information including image and depth. Based on this, the multi-dimensional light field imaging and sensing of a moving object is capable to be experimentally implemented. Our system presents a diffraction-limit resolution of 1.95 micrometer via observing the standard resolution test chart under white light illumination. This is the first mimic optical light field imaging and sensing system of insect compound eye, which has potential applications in micro robotic vision, non-men vehicle sensing, virtual and augmented reality, etc.

The invention discloses a large field-of-view bionic compound eye visual system adopting a dome light cone. The system comprises a curved surface compound eye lens, an aperture diaphragm, the light cone and an image detector, which are connected with one another in sequence; the curved surface compound eye lens comprises sub eyes and a substrate, the sub eyes are hermetically bonded in the hexagonal array mode, the surface type of the sub eyes are non-spherical, the substrate is a curved surface substrate, the aperture diaphragm is a stepped type aperture diaphragm, and the light cone is a dome light cone. According to the invention, the dome light cone coupling strategy is used as the light path conduction mode, on one hand, a curved image formed by the compound eye lens is converted into a planar image, so as to be received by a plane detector, on the other hand, the large field of view image formed by the compound eye lens is compressed into a smaller image according to an equal ratio, so that the large field of view image can be completely imaged in a small-sized detector in a lossless mode, the coupling is realized, and the technical requirements on the size of detectors are accordingly reduced.

A multiple aperture array, wide angle imaging system incorporates compound refractive optics modeled after the eyes of insects. The system channels light through the apertures of a convex spatial filter and a pair of lenslet arrays hot press molded on a positive meniscus form. The lenslets act as afocal Keplerian telescopes to superpose light from hundreds of adjacent channels to a common point on the convex surface of a fiber optic imaging taper. The superposed light from all the channels form a curved, high intensity image that is transformed by the taper into a flat format for readout by a mosaic detector array. The image is upright and distortion free with an infinite depth of field. Ghost images are blocked by a honeycomb louver baffle positioned between the lenslets and the imaging taper. The system is conformable to the geometry of any convex mounting surface, whether spherical, aspherical, or cylindrical.

A compound-eye image pickup apparatus includes: a plurality of image pickup devices each including a focusing lens; a moving device configured to move the focusing lens; an automatic focusing device configured to cause the moving device to move the focusing lens within a predetermined range, to acquire focusing positions of each of the plurality of image pickup devices; and a detecting device configured to detect whether or not the focusing position can be acquired, wherein when the detecting device detects that the focusing position of at least one of the plurality of image pickup devices is acquired and the focusing position of the remaining image pickup device is not acquired, the automatic focusing device moves the focusing lens of the image pickup device for which it is detected that the focusing position thereof is not acquired, within an additional range outside of the predetermined range to acquire the focusing position thereof.

A parallax map is generated by corresponding left and right images with each other through stereo matching based on the left image. An attention pixel is set on the parallax map, and a window of a predetermined size centering on a pixel (left image attention pixel) on the left image corresponding to the attention pixel is set in the left image. Pixels having an RGB value similar to the RGB value of the left image attention pixel from among the pixels in the window are extracted, and the parallax of a pixel on the parallax map corresponding to each extracted pixel is entered into a parallax histogram to generate a parallax histogram. When the frequency of the attention pixel is smaller than a predetermined value, the parallax of the attention pixel is corrected with a parallax having the maximum frequency value of the parallax histogram.

An imaging device can take an image of a flow field including tracer particles includes a compound-eye lens formed from a large number of monocular lenses, which take images of images taken by an imaging lens. Each of the multiple monocular lenses functions as one imaging device. This can enable measurement precision to be enhanced by suppressing the influence of ghost particles, while reducing the equipment cost by minimizing the number of imaging devices. A space for installing the imaging device can easily ensured. If a large number of imaging devices are used, not only do they require time and manpower for setting up, but there is also a possibility that the measurement precision will be degraded due to displacement of an axis of the imaging devices caused by vibration, etc. When the imaging device having the compound-eye lens is used, setup is simplified, and measurement precision can be ensured.

The invention relates to a polarization navigation real-time positioning method based on all skylight degree of polarization information. Aiming at the polarization navigation positioning problem, atfirst, the degree of polarization information of observation points of all skylight is acquired by a compound eye simulated polarization sensor, three optimal observation points in the degree of polarization information measured by the compound eye simulated polarization sensor are selected, the degrees of polarization of the three observation points are used as resolving input information, and are combined with the space geometry relation among the selected three observation points to obtain unit sun vector information in a vector system; then the three-dimensional attitude information of a vector at the current moment is acquired by an attitude sensor, and an attitude conversion matrix is acquired; next, the unit sun vector in the vector system is converted into a unit sun vector in a geography system by the attitude conversion matrix; and at last, through inquiring position information of a module calculation vector through an astronomical ephemeris, the polarization navigation positioning function is realized. The method is high in real-time performance, relatively high in precision, and relatively high environmental suitability, and can complete the positioning in a three-dimensional space.

An imaging device includes a lens array including multiple lenses facing a subject; an image sensor obtaining a compound-eye image including single-eye images of the subject formed by the lenses; and a computing unit processing the compound-eye image obtained by the image sensor. The lenses have different radii of curvature and substantially the same back focal length, and the computing unit extracts an in-focus image from the compound-eye image.

The invention discloses a method for manufacturing artificial bionic compound eyes, comprising the steps of: firstly using femtosecond pulse bi-photon polymerization method to manufacture an inversioncurved surface micro lens mold; using ultraviolet nano impressing to manufacture into a three-dimensional curved surface micro lens template; then manufacturing an elastic mold on the three-dimensional curved surface micro lens template; sequentially accommodating photosensitive resin in the elastic mold, heating for baking into a photosensitive polymer mold with opposite polarity; and finally using the lens to focus ultraviolet lights and right irradiate to the photosensitive polymer mold placed on a substrate, manufacturing a light transmission channel by self-writing waveguide method, andmanufacturing into an artificial bionic compound eye. The invention overcomes limit of photoetching technology in aspect of three-dimensional micro-processing, improves processing precision of micro lens, can effectively reduce manufacture cost, enhance mass production capacity, and further promote application of artificial compound eyes in medical science, industry, military and other fields.

The invention relates to a bionic curved compound eye, in particular relates to a preparation method of a bionic PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane) curved compound eye. The invention solves the problem that the bionic curved compound eyes in prior arts are large in volume, small in field of view and low in practicability. The preparation method of the bionic PDMS curved compound eye comprises the following steps: preparing a PDMS micro convex lens model; preparing a PDMS grid model; preparing a PDMS peripheral wrapping model; bonding the PDMS micro convex lens model and the bottom of the PDMS grid model; inserting an optical fiber in a cylindrical cavity of the PDMS grid model; bonding the PDMS peripheral wrapping model on the outer circumference of the PDMS grid model to form a cavity between the PDMS grid model and the PDMS peripheral wrapping model; and bending the PDMS micro convex lens model by pressing the cavity so as to obtain the compound eye. The compound eye prepared in the invention has the advantages of low cost, simple manufacturing, micron dimension and nanometer precision and can be widely applied to the field of three-dimensional imaging detection.