Array camera configurations incorporating multiple constituent array cameras

1. An array camera configuration, comprising:

at least two constituent array cameras, where each constituent array camera comprises:

a plurality of cameras, where each camera comprises optics that form an image on a focal plane defined by an array of pixels that capture image data and have fields of view that form a combined field of view for the constituent array camera;

wherein each of the at least two constituent array cameras differ with respect to at least one of combined field of view and viewing direction;

a processor;

memory containing an image processing application and calibrated warp data;

wherein the image processing application directs the processor to:

for each of the at least two constituent array cameras:

obtain image data from the cameras in the constituent array camera;

generate a depth map using the image data captured by the cameras in the constituent array camera; and

synthesize an image using the image data captured by the cameras in the constituent array camera and the depth map;

construct an enhanced image using the image data obtained from the cameras in the at least two constituent array cameras by:

warping at least a first of the synthesized images into a viewpoint of a second of the synthesized images using a depth map for the first of the synthesized images and calibrated warp data; and

blending the at least a first of the synthesized images warped into the viewpoint of the second of the synthesized images and the second of the synthesized images to create the enhanced image.

2. The array camera configuration of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cameras in a first constituent array camera have fields of view that are narrower than and within the fields of view of the plurality of cameras in a second constituent array camera.

3. The array camera configuration of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of cameras in the first constituent array camera capture image data at a higher angular resolution than the image data captured by the plurality of cameras in the second constituent array camera.

4. The array camera configuration of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of cameras in the first constituent array camera have optics with larger magnification than the optics of the cameras in the second constituent array camera.

5. The array camera configuration of claim 4 , wherein:

the plurality of cameras in the first constituent array camera include telephoto lenses;

the plurality of cameras in the second constituent array camera include wide angle lenses; and

the telephoto lenses have higher angular resolution and contrast and longer focal lengths than the wide angle lenses.

6. The array camera configuration of claim 2 , wherein the optics of the cameras in the first constituent array camera include at least one adaptive optical element enabling the independent adjustment of the focal length of the camera.

7. The array camera configuration of claim 2 , wherein the optics of the cameras in the first constituent array camera include at least one adaptive optical element that can enable the lateral shifting of the centration of the refractive power distribution of the at least one adaptive optical element.

8. The array camera configuration of claim 2 , wherein the enhanced image has a field of view of the image synthesized using the image data captured by the second constituent array camera and includes a foveated high resolution region with an angular resolution of the image synthesized from the image data captured by the first constituent array camera.

9. The array camera configuration of claim 1 , wherein the image processing application directs the processor to synthesize an image using the image data captured by the cameras in the constituent array camera and a depth map by performing a super-resolution process to synthesize a high resolution image using image data captured by the cameras in the constituent array camera and the depth map generated using the image data.

10. The array camera configuration of claim 1 , wherein:

a first constituent array camera has a first viewing direction and a first combined field of view; and

a second constituent array camera has a second viewing direction and a second combined field of view, where the first and second combined fields of view are partially overlapping beyond a specific object distance.

11. The array camera configuration of claim 10 , wherein the image processing application further directs the processor to generate a depth map for the enhanced image using the depth maps generated using the image data captured by each of the first constituent array camera and the second constituent array camera.

12. The array camera configuration of claim 1 , wherein cameras in a constituent array camera have different imaging characteristics.

13. The array camera configuration of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of constituent array cameras includes a M×N array of cameras.

14. The array camera configuration of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of constituent arrays comprises an array camera module including an array of lens stacks forming separate apertures and an imager array including an array of focal planes, where each lens stack forms an image on a corresponding focal plane.

15. The array camera configuration of claim 1 , wherein different cameras in at least one of the plurality of constituent array cameras capture images of different portions of the light spectrum.

16. The array camera configuration of claim 15 , wherein the lens stacks of the different cameras differ based upon the portion of the spectrum imaged by the camera.

17. The array camera configuration of claim 16 , wherein at least one lens element in the lens stacks of the different cameras have a surface with different shapes.

18. The array camera configuration of claim 16 , wherein at least one lens element in the lens stacks of the different cameras are constructed from different materials.

19. The array camera configuration of claim 15 , wherein different types of cameras in a constituent array camera are located on either side of a reference camera.

20. An array camera configuration, comprising:

at least two constituent array cameras, comprising:

a first constituent array camera comprising a plurality of cameras, where each camera comprises: optics that form an image on a focal plane defined by an array of pixels that capture image data; and have fields of view that form a first combined field of view in a first viewing direction;

a second constituent array camera comprising a plurality of cameras, where each camera comprises: optics that form an image on a focal plane defined by an array of pixels that capture image data; and have fields of view that form a second combined field of view in a second viewing direction;

wherein the plurality of cameras in the first constituent array camera have fields of view that are narrower than and within the fields of view of the plurality of cameras in the second constituent array camera;

wherein the plurality of cameras in the first constituent array camera capture image data at a higher angular resolution than the image data captured by the plurality of cameras in the second constituent array camera;

a processor;

memory containing an image processing application and calibrated warp data;

wherein the image processing application directs the processor to:

obtain image data from the cameras in the first and second constituent array cameras;

generate separate depth maps using the image data captured by each of the first and second constituent array cameras; and

synthesize separate high resolution images by performing a super-resolution process using the image data captured by each of the first and second constituent array cameras and the depth maps generated using the image data captured by each of the first and second constituent array cameras; and

construct an enhanced image using the two synthesized images and the depth maps used to synthesize images by:

warping a first of the synthesized images into a viewpoint of a second of the synthesized images using the depth map used to synthesize the first of the synthesized images and calibrated warp data; and

blending the first of the synthesized images warped into the viewpoint of the second of the synthesized images and the second of the synthesized images to create the enhanced image;

wherein the enhanced image has a field of view of the image synthesized using the image data captured by the second constituent array camera and includes a foveated high resolution region with an angular resolution of the image synthesized from the image data captured by the first constituent array camera.