Dual lens digital zoom
View Patent ↗A camera with a pair of lens/sensor combinations, the two lenses having different focal lengths, so that the image from one of the combinations has a field of view approximately two to three times greater than the image from the other combination. As a user of the camera requests a given amount of zoom, the zoomed image provided will come from the lens/sensor combination having the field of view that is next larger than the requested field of view. Thus, if the requested field of view is less than the smaller field of view combination, the zoomed image will be created from the image captured by that combination, using cropping and interpolation if necessary. Similarly, if the requested field of view is greater than the smaller field of view combination, the zoomed image will be created from the image captured by the other combination, using cropping and interpolation if necessary.
1. In a camera operated by a user, a method comprising:
capturing a first image with a first sensor;
directing light to the first sensor with a first lens, the first lens having a first fixed focal length, wherein the combination of the first sensor and first lens has a first field of view;
capturing a second image with a second sensor;
directing light to the second sensor with a second lens, the second lens having a second fixed focal length that is longer than the first fixed focal length, wherein the combination of the second sensor and second lens has a second field of view, wherein the first field of view is greater than the second field of view; and
using a zoom control operable by the user to allow the user to request a desired field of view to produce a zoomed image;
wherein the combination of the first sensor and the first lens are aligned with the combination of the second sensor and the second lens to allow each to be directed toward the same subject;
wherein the zoomed image comprises the first image if the requested field of view is equal to the first field of view, the zoomed image is produced from the first image by cropping and interpolating the first image if the requested field of view is less than the first field of view and greater than the second field of view, the zoomed image comprises the second image if the requested field of view is equal to the second field of view, and the zoomed image is produced from the second image by cropping and interpolating the second image if the requested field of view is less than the second field of view; and
wherein the depth of field for the combination of the first sensor and the first lens is the same as the depth of field for the combination of the second sensor and the second lens.
2. The method of claim 1 , further including:
capturing a third image with a third sensor; and
directing light to the third sensor with a third lens, the third lens having a third fixed focal length that is longer than the second fixed focal length, wherein the combination of the third sensor and third lens has a third field of view, wherein the second field of view is greater than the third field of view;
wherein the combination of the third sensor and the third lens are aligned with the combination of the first sensor and the first lens and the combination of the second sensor and the second lens to allow each to be directed toward the same subject;
wherein the zoomed image comprises the first image if the requested field of view is equal to the first field of view, the zoomed image is produced from the first image by cropping and interpolating the first image if the requested field of view is less than the first field of view and greater than the second field of view, the zoomed image comprises the second image if the requested field of view is equal to the second field of view, the zoomed image is produced from the second image by cropping and interpolating the second image if the requested field of view is less than the second field of view and greater than the third field of view, the zoomed image comprises the third image if the requested field of view is equal to the third field of view, and the zoomed image is produced from the third image by cropping and interpolating the third image if the requested field of view is less than the third field of view.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first field of view is twice that of the second field of view.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first field of view is in the range of two to three times that of the second field of view.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the zoom control can be used to request the zoomed image in a range, with one end of the range corresponding to the first field of view and the opposite end of the range corresponding to ¼ to ½ of the second field of view.
6. In a camera operated by a user, a method comprising:
capturing a first and second image with a first and second sensor, respectively;
directing light to the first and second sensors with a first and second fixed focal length lens, respectively, wherein the combination of the first sensor and first lens has a first field of view and the combination of the second sensor and second lens has a second field of view, wherein the second fixed focal length is longer than the first fixed focal length and the first field of view is greater than the second field of view; and
using a zoom control that is operable by the user to allow the user to request a desired field of view to produce a zoomed image;
wherein the combination of the first sensor and the first lens are aligned with the combination of the second sensor and the second lens to allow each to be directed toward the same object;
wherein the zoomed image is produced from the first image or the second image based on the size of the requested field of view relative to the size of the second field of view; and
wherein the depth of field for the combination of the first sensor and the first lens is the same as the depth of field for the combination of the second sensor and the second lens.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the zoomed image is produced without any physical movement of the first lens relative to the first sensor or of the second lens relative to the second sensor.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein if the requested field of view is larger than the second field of view, the zoomed image is produced from the first image.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein if the requested field of view is equal to or smaller than the second field of view, the zoomed image is produced from the second image.
10. The method of claim 6 , wherein if the requested field of view is equal to or smaller than the second field of view, the zoomed image is produced from the second image.
11. In a camera operated by a user, a method comprising:
capturing a first and second image with a first and a second sensor, respectively;
directing light to the first and second sensors with a first and a second lens, respectively, wherein the combination of the first sensor and first lens has a first field of view and the combination of the second sensor and second lens has a second field of view, wherein the focal length of the second lens is longer than the focal length of the first lens and the first field of view is greater than the second field of view; and
using a zoom control that is operable by the user to allow the user to request a desired field of view to produce a zoomed image;
wherein the combination of the first sensor and the first lens are aligned with the combination of the second sensor and the second lens to allow each to be directed toward the same object;
wherein the zoomed image is produced from the first image or the second image based on the size of the requested field of view relative to the size of the second field of view;
wherein the zoomed image is produced without any physical movement of the first lens relative to the first sensor or of the second lens relative to the second sensor; and
wherein the depth of field for the combination of the first sensor and the first lens is the same as the depth of field for the combination of the second sensor and the second lens.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein each of the first and the second lens have a fixed focal length.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein if the requested field of view is larger than the second field of view, the zoomed image is produced from the first image.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein if the requested field of view is equal to or smaller than the second field of view, the zoomed image is produced from the second image.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein if the requested field of view is equal to or smaller than the second field of view, the zoomed image is produced from the second image.