Multifunction lens
View Patent ↗An image capture apparatus having a multifunction lens and a method for capturing an image are disclosed. The multifunction lens has an imaging lens portion adapted to focus a scene onto an image sensor array and a luminance channel portion adapted to channel luminance of the scene onto a luminance photo detector. Due to a single piece design of the multifunction lens of the present invention, compared to the prior art built-in luminance metering system, the costs of manufacture are decreased, bulk to the imaging system is decreased, and reliability of the imaging system is increased.
1. An image capture apparatus comprising
a processor;
a memory element coupled to the processor;
an image sensor array coupled to the processor, wherein the image sensor array includes a plurality of photo detectors and is configured to convert light focused thereon to image data electrical signals and transmit the image data electrical signals to the processor;
a luminance photo detector coupled to the processor, wherein the luminance photo detector is configured to convert light channeled thereon to luminance data electrical signals and transmit the luminance data electrical signals to the processor,
wherein the image sensor array and the luminance photo detector are fabricated over the same substrate, the plurality of photo detectors of the image sensor array occupy an area on the substrate and the luminance photo detector is in an area of the substrate that is distinct from and outside of the area on the substrate occupied by the image sensor array;
a multifunction lens comprising an imaging lens portion and a luminance channel portion,
wherein the imaging lens portion is coupled to the image sensor array and is configured to focus light reflected from a scene to the image sensor array,
and wherein the luminance channel portion is coupled to the luminance photo detector and is configured to direct light reflected from the scene to the luminance photo detector in a separate path from the light focused by the imaging lens portion to the image sensor array,
and wherein the processor uses the luminance data electrical signals to process the image data electrical signals to form an image of the scene,
and wherein the processor stores the image of the scene in the memory element.
2. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said luminance channel portion comprises a lens having a convex surface adapted to receive luminance of the scene.
3. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said imaging lens portion is directed in a first direction and said luminance channel portion is directed in a second direction.
4. The apparatus recited in claim 3 wherein said first direction is generally toward the scene and second direction is generally toward a luminance source.
5. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said luminance channel portion comprises a luminance channel pipe.
6. The apparatus recited in claim 5 wherein said luminance channel pipe having a cylindrical shape.
7. The apparatus recited in claim 6 wherein said cylindrical shape has a thickness ranging from 10 microns to 2000 microns.
8. The apparatus recited in claim 5 wherein said luminance channel pipe has a height substantially the same as a focal length of said imaging lens portion.
9. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said luminance photo detector is proximal to said image sensor array.
10. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said luminance photo detector is adapted to detect light in a first frequency range and said image capture apparatus further comprises a second luminance photo detector adapted to detect light in a second frequency range and a third luminance photo detector adapted to detect light in a third frequency range.
11. The apparatus recited in claim 10 wherein said first frequency range generally includes red visual spectrum, said second frequency range generally includes green visual spectrum, and said third frequency range generally includes blue visual spectrum.