Camera modules patterned with pi filter groups
View Patent ↗Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention pattern array camera modules with π filter groups. In one embodiment, an array camera module includes: an M×N imager array including a plurality of focal planes, where each focal plane includes an array of pixels; an M×N optic array of lens stacks, where each lens stack corresponds to a focal plane, and where each lens stack forms an image of a scene on its corresponding focal plane; where each pairing of a lens stack and focal plane thereby defines a camera; where at least one row in the M×N array of cameras includes at least one red camera, one green camera, and one blue camera; and where at least one column in the M×N array of cameras includes at least one red camera, one green camera, and one blue camera.
1. An array camera module, comprising:
an M×N imager array comprising a plurality of focal planes, each focal plane comprising an array of light sensitive pixels;
an M×N optic array of lens stacks, where each lens stack corresponds to a focal plane, and where each lens stack forms an image of a scene on its corresponding focal plane;
wherein each pairing of a lens stack and its corresponding focal plane thereby defines a camera;
wherein at least one row in the M×N array of cameras comprises at least one red color camera, at least one green color camera, and at least one blue color camera; and
wherein at least one column in the M×N array of cameras comprises at least one red color camera, at least one green color camera, and at least one blue color camera;
wherein a red color camera is a camera that is configured to image only that portion of the electromagnetic spectrum corresponding with red light;
wherein a green color camera is a camera that is configured to image only that portion of the electromagnetic spectrum corresponding with green light; and
wherein a blue color camera is a camera that is configured to image only that portion of the electromagnetic spectrum corresponding with blue light.
2. The array camera module of claim 1 :
wherein M and N are each greater than two and at least one of M and N is even;
wherein color filters are implemented within the cameras in the array camera module such that the array camera module is patterned with at least one π filter group comprising:
a 3×3 array of cameras comprising:
a reference camera at the center of the 3×3 array of cameras;
two red color cameras located on opposite sides of the 3×3 array of cameras;
two blue color cameras located on opposite sides of the 3×3 array of cameras; and
four green color cameras surrounding the reference camera.
3. The array camera module of claim 2 wherein each of the four green color cameras surrounding the reference camera is disposed at a corner location of the 3×3 array of cameras.
4. The array camera module of claim 3 , wherein:
M is four;
N is four;
the first row of cameras of the 4×4 array camera module includes, in the following order, a green color camera, a blue color camera, a green color camera, and a red color camera;
the second row of cameras of the 4×4 array camera module includes, in the following order, a red color camera, a green color camera, a red color camera, and a green color camera;
the third row of cameras of the 4×4 array camera module includes, in the following order, a green color camera, a blue color camera, a green color camera, and a blue color camera; and
the fourth row of cameras of the 4×4 array camera module includes, in the following order, a blue color camera, a green color camera, a red color camera, and a green color camera.
5. The array camera module of claim 3 , wherein:
M is four;
N is four;
the first row of cameras of the 4×4 array camera module includes, in the following order, a red color camera, a green color camera, a blue color camera, and a green color camera;
the second row of cameras of the 4×4 array camera module includes, in the following order a green color camera, a red color camera, a green color camera, and a red color camera;
the third row of cameras of the 4×4 array camera module includes, in the following order, a blue color camera, a green color camera, a blue color camera, and a green color camera; and
the fourth row of cameras of the 4×4 array camera module includes, in the following order, a green color camera, a red color camera, a green color camera, and a blue color camera.
6. The array camera module of claim 2 , wherein the reference camera is a green color camera.
7. The array camera module of claim 2 , wherein the reference camera is one of: a camera that incorporates a Bayer filter, a camera that is configured to capture infrared light, and a camera that is configured to capture ultraviolet light.
8. The array camera module of claim 2 wherein each of the two red color cameras is located at a corner location of the 3×3 array of cameras, and wherein each of the two blue color cameras is located at a corner location of the 3×3 array of cameras.
9. The array camera module of claim 2 , wherein at least one color filter is implemented on the imager array.
10. The array camera module of claim 2 , wherein at least one color filter is implemented on a lens stack.
11. A 3×3 array camera module comprising:
a 3×3 imager array comprising a 3×3 arrangement of focal planes, each focal plane comprising an array of light sensitive pixels;
a 3×3 optic array of lens stacks, where each lens stack corresponds to a focal plane, and where each lens stack forms an image of a scene on its corresponding focal plane;
wherein each pairing of a lens stack and its corresponding focal plane thereby defines a camera;
wherein the 3×3 array of cameras comprises:
a reference camera at the center of the 3×3 array of cameras;
two red color cameras located on opposite sides of the 3×3 array of cameras;
two blue color cameras located on opposite sides of the 3×3 array of cameras; and
four green color cameras, each located at a corner location of the 3×3 array of cameras;
wherein a red color camera is a camera that is configured to image only that portion of the electromagnetic spectrum corresponding with red light;
wherein a green color camera is a camera that is configured to image only that portion of the electromagnetic spectrum corresponding with green light; and
wherein a blue color camera is a camera that is configured to image only that portion of the electromagnetic spectrum corresponding with blue light;
wherein each of the color cameras is achieved using a color filter.
12. The 3×3 array camera module of claim 11 , wherein at least one color filter is implemented on the imager array to achieve a color camera.
13. The 3×3 array camera module of claim 11 , wherein at least one color filter is implemented within a lens stack to achieve a color camera.
14. The 3×3 array camera module of claim 11 , wherein the reference camera is a green color camera.
15. The 3×3 array camera module of claim 11 , wherein the reference camera is one of: a camera that incorporates a Bayer filter, a camera that is configured to capture infrared light, and a camera that is configured to capture ultraviolet light.
16. A method of patterning an array camera module with at least one π filter group comprising:
evaluating whether an imager array of M×N focal planes, where each focal plane comprises an array of light sensitive pixels, includes any defective focal planes;
assembling an M×N array camera module using:
the imager array of M×N focal planes;
an M×N optic array of lens stacks, where each lens stack corresponds with a focal plane,
wherein the M×N array camera module is assembled so that:
each lens stack and its corresponding focal plane define a camera;
color filters are implemented within the array camera module such that the array camera module is patterned with at least one π filter group comprising:
a 3×3 array of cameras comprising:
a reference camera at the center of the 3×3 array of cameras;
two red color cameras located on opposite sides of the 3×3 array of cameras;
two blue color cameras located on opposite sides of the 3×3 array of cameras; and
four green color cameras, surrounding the reference camera;
wherein a red color camera is a camera that is configured to image only that portion of the electromagnetic spectrum corresponding with red light;
wherein a green color camera is a camera that is configured to image only that portion of the electromagnetic spectrum corresponding with green light; and
wherein a blue color camera is a camera that is configured to image only that portion of the electromagnetic spectrum corresponding with blue light; and
wherein the array camera module is patterned with the at least one π filter group such that a camera that includes a defective focal plane is a green color camera.
17. The method of patterning an array camera module with at least one π filter group of claim 16 , wherein at least one color filter is implemented on the imager array.
18. The method of patterning an array camera module with at least one π filter group of claim 16 , wherein at least one color filter is implemented within a lens stack.
19. The method of patterning an array camera module with at least one π filter group of claim 16 , wherein the reference camera is a green color camera.
20. The method of patterning an array camera module with at least one π filter group of claim 16 , wherein the reference camera is one of: a camera that incorporates a Bayer filter, a camera that is configured to capture infrared light, and a camera that is configured to capture ultraviolet light.