Polarization capture device, system, and method

1. A device, comprising:

a first lens;

a first polarized image sensor coupled with the first lens and configured to capture, from a first perspective, a first set of image data in a plurality of polarization orientations;

a second lens disposed apart from the first lens; and

a second polarized image sensor coupled with the second lens and configured to capture, from a second perspective different from the first perspective, a second set of image data in the plurality of polarization orientations,

wherein each of the first set of image data and the second set of image data includes an image data array, and

wherein the device further comprises a processor configured to perform data processing on each of the first set of image data and the second set of image data, the data processing including:

for each image data array, applying a polarization interpolation to obtain a plurality of polarization image data arrays, each of the plurality of polarization image data arrays associated with a predetermined polarization orientation of the plurality of polarization orientations and a plurality of colors; and

for each of the plurality of polarization image data arrays associated with the predetermined polarization orientation and the plurality of colors, applying a plurality of color interpolations to construct a plurality of polarization color images each associated with the same predetermined polarization orientation and one of the plurality of colors.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first polarized image sensor or the second polarized sensor comprises:

a microlens array;

a pixel array coupled with the microlens array; and

a polarizer array disposed between the microlens array and the pixel array.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the polarizer array comprises a plurality of polarizers having different transmission axis orientations arranged in a predetermined pattern.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein:

the plurality of polarizers comprise one or more arrays, each array comprising:

a linear horizontal polarizer configured to allow a light having a horizontal polarization orientation to transmit through;

a linear vertical polarizer configured to allow a light having a vertical polarization orientation to transmit through;

a linear 45-degree polarizer configured to allow a light having a 45° polarization orientation to transmit through; and

a linear 135-degree polarizer configured to allow a light having a 135° polarization orientation to transmit through.

5. The device of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first polarized image sensor or the second polarized sensor further comprises:

a color filter array disposed between the microlens array and the pixel array and including a plurality of color filters arranged in a predetermined color filter pattern.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein:

the plurality of color filters comprise at least one of a red color filter, a green color filter, or a blue color filter, and

the predetermined color filter pattern is a Bayer filter pattern.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine one or more polarization parameters based on the plurality of polarization color images, the one or more polarization parameters including one or more of a Stokes parameter, a degree of linear polarization (“DOLP”), and an angle of linear polarization (“AOLP”).

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine one or more Stokes parameters based on optical powers of one or more lights corresponding to one or more of the plurality of polarization orientations.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a DOLP value for each pixel based on the one or more Stokes parameters; and

determine an AOLP value for each pixel based on the one or more Stokes parameters.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine depth information of an object based on the first set of image data and the second set of image data.

11. A system, comprising:

a first polarization camera configured to capture a first set of image data from a first perspective in a plurality of polarization orientations; and

a second polarization camera configured to capture a second set of image data from a second perspective different from the first perspective in the plurality of polarization orientations,

wherein each of the first set of image data and the second set of image data includes an image data array, and

wherein at least one of the first polarization camera or the second polarization camera further a processor configured to perform data processing on each of the first set of image data and the second set of image data, the data processing including:

for each image data array, applying a polarization interpolation to obtain a plurality of polarization image data arrays, each of the plurality of polarization image data arrays associated with a predetermined polarization orientation of the plurality of polarization orientations and a plurality of colors; and

for each of the plurality of polarization image data arrays associated with the predetermined polarization orientation and the plurality of colors, applying a plurality of color interpolations to construct a plurality of polarization color images each associated with the same predetermined polarization orientation and one of the plurality of colors.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first polarization camera or the second polarization camera comprises:

a lens; and

a polarized image sensor optically coupled to the lens.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the polarized image sensor comprises:

a microlens array;

a pixel array coupled with the microlens array;

a color filter array disposed between the microlens array and the pixel array and including a plurality of color filters arranged in a predetermined color filter pattern; and

a polarizer array disposed between the microlens array and the color filter array, and including a plurality of polarizers associated with different polarization orientations arranged in a predetermined pattern.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine one or more polarization parameters based on the plurality of polarization color images, the one or more polarization parameters including one or more of a Stokes parameter, a degree of linear polarization (“DOLP”), and an angle of linear polarization (“AOLP”).

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein when the processor is also configured to:

determine depth information of an object based on a disparity of the object in the first set of image data and the second set of image data.

16. A method, comprising:

obtaining a first set of image data in a plurality of polarization orientations through a first polarization camera in a first perspective;

obtaining a second set of image data in the plurality of polarization orientations through a second polarization camera in a second perspective different from the first perspective; and

determining, through a processor, multi-modal data based on the first set of image data and the second set of image data, the multi-modal data comprising data for a plurality of polarization color images, one or more polarization parameters, and depth information,

wherein each of the first set of image data and the second set of image data includes an image data array, and

wherein determining the multi-modal data comprises:

for each image data array, applying, through the processor, a polarization interpolation to obtain a plurality of polarization image data arrays, each of the plurality of polarization image data arrays associated with a predetermined polarization orientation of the plurality of polarization orientations and a plurality of colors; and

for each of the plurality of polarization image data arrays associated with the predetermined polarization orientation and the plurality of colors, applying, through the processor, a plurality of color interpolations to construct a plurality of polarization color images each associated with the same predetermined polarization orientation and one of the plurality of colors.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein obtaining the multi-modal data comprises:

determining, through the processor, the one or more polarization parameters based on the plurality of polarization color images, the one or more polarization parameters including one or more of a Stokes parameter, a degree of linear polarization (“DOLP”), and an angle of linear polarization (“AOLP”).

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein obtaining the multi-modal data comprises:

determining, through the processor, a DOLP value for each pixel based on one or more Stokes parameters; and

determining, through the processor, an AOLP value for each pixel based on the one or more Stokes parameters.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein obtaining the multi-modal data further comprises:

determining, through the processor, depth information of an object based on a disparity of the object in the first set of image data and the second set of image data.