Imaging arrangements and methods therefor

1. A digital imaging system for generating a virtual image of a scene, wherein the virtual image includes a plurality of pixels, the system comprising:

a photosensor array, having a plurality of photosensors, configured to detect light including a plurality of light rays from the scene, wherein each photosensor, in response to detecting the light incident thereon, generates light data, the photosensor array further configured to detect a set of the plurality of light rays that concurrently arrive at the particular portion of the physical focal plane at different angles of incidence;

an optics arrangement, having a physical focus, configured to direct light rays from the scene to the photosensor array via a physical focal plane; and

processing circuitry to compute a pixel value of each pixel of the virtual image by combining light data from selected photosensors based on angles of incidence of the light rays detected by each photosensor, as characterized by the location of each photosensor relative to the physical focal plane, the virtual image having a virtual focus and a virtual focal plane that are respectively different from the physical focus and the physical focal plane, wherein the virtual focal plane comprises one of a planar focal plane and a non-planar focal plane, wherein the processing circuitry further determines the angles of incidence of light upon each photosensor using a position of each photosensor relative to the microlens, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to generate a virtual image of the scene by combining selected light rays based on aberrations in the optics arrangement.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:

determine an angle of incidence of the detected light rays as characterized by the location of each photosensor detecting the light;

determine aberrated rays using the angle of incidence of the detected light rays, re-sort the aberrated rays to correct for aberrations in the optics arrangement; and

generate the virtual image of the scene by combining selected light rays and resorted aberrated rays.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

determine an angle of incidence of the detected light rays as characterized by the location of each photosensor detecting the light;

map the path of the light rays using the angle of incidence of the detected light rays and tracing of rays through the optics arrangement;

determine aberrated rays using the mapped light rays;

re-sort the aberrated rays, and

generate a virtual image of the scene by combining selected light rays and resorted aberrated rays to reduce the effect of aberrations in the optics arrangement.

4. A digital imaging system for generating a virtual image of a scene, the system comprising:

optics, having a physical focus, to direct light from the scene onto a physical focal plane, wherein the light includes a set of light rays;

a photosensor array, having a plurality of photosensors, to detect the set of light rays, wherein each photosensor detects different ones of the set of light rays;

a microlens array, disposed between the optics and the photosensor array, and configured to physically direct the set of light rays from the optics to the photosensor array; and

processing circuitry configured to generate a virtual image of the scene using the detected set of light rays by selectively combining data representing the light rays based on directional characteristics of the light rays, wherein the virtual image includes a virtual focus at a virtual focal plane that comprises one of a planar virtual plane and a non-planar virtual plane, and wherein the virtual focus and the virtual focal plane are different from the physical focus and the physical focal plane, respectively, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to combine selected light rays based on aberrations in the optic arrangement.

5. A method of imaging a scene using a digital imaging device which includes an optics unit and a light ray sensor, the method comprising:

focusing light from the scene upon a physical focal plane;

detecting light rays from the scene which are incident on the physical focal plane;

determining directional characteristics of the detected light rays;

and generating a virtual image of the scene having a virtual focus at a virtual focal plane using the detected light by combining selected light rays based on the directional characteristics of the light rays, wherein the virtual focus and the virtual focal plane are different from the physical focus and physical focal plane, respectively, wherein generating the virtual image of the scene by combining selected light rays to provide the virtual image of the scene having a virtual focus at a virtual focal plane further includes generating the virtual image of the scene by combining selected light rays based on aberrations in at least one of the optics unit and the light ray sensor.

6. The method of claim 5 further including:

determining aberrated rays using the determined light rays corresponding to the detected light and the directional characteristics of the light arriving at different locations on the physical focal plane;

re-sorting the aberrated rays to correct for aberrations in one or more of the optics unit and light ray sensor; and

wherein generating the virtual image of the scene further includes combining selected light rays and re-sorted aberrated rays.

7. The method of claim 5 further including:

mapping the light rays corresponding to the light using the directional characteristics of the light and tracing of rays through one or more of the optics unit and light ray sensor;

determining aberrated rays using the mapped light rays;

re-sorting the aberrated rays; and

wherein generating the virtual image of the scene further includes combining selected light rays and re-sorted aberrated rays to reduce the affect of aberrations in the optics unit and/or light ray sensor.