MULTISCOPIC IMAGE CAPTURE SYSTEM

1 . A capture system operable to generate captured views of a scene, the captured views comprising information for generating at least one intermediate view within a disparity range define by the captured views, T D the system comprising;

at least S number of optical modules, each of the optical module comprising:

at least one imaging sensor;

at least one lens configured to direct image light to the at least one imaging sensor to generate one of the captured views, thereby defining an effective focal length, F L ;

wherein the S number of optical modules comprise at least S number of respective imaging sensors, S being an integer, and at least two of the at least S number of imaging sensors being defined on different substrates;

wherein each of the at least S number of imaging sensors pairs with an adjacent imaging sensor to define a maximum effective disparity M D ;

wherein S is greater than or equal to (T D /M D )+1, the ratio T D /M D being greater than 1;

wherein M D is less than or equal to (D IA *P X *F L )/(S W *D MAX ), in which

S W is an effective sensor width of the at least S number of image sensors, the S W being defined along a first direction;

P X is an effective pixel resolution of the at least S number of image sensors along the first direction;

D IA is an interaxial distance between optical centers of adjacent optical modules; and

D MAX is a distance between a closest object in the scene and an optical center of an optical module closest to the closest object.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the M D is less than 25% of a pixel resolution of a first intermediate view of the at least one intermediate view.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the M D is less than 10% of the pixel resolution of the first intermediate view.

4 . The system or claim 3 , wherein the M D is less than 1% the pixel resolution of the first intermediate view.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensors are arranged in a horizontal array.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensors are arranged in a vertical array.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensors are arranged in a two dimensional array.

8 . A capture system operable to generate captured views of a scene, the captured views comprising information for generating at least one intermediate view within a pixel disparity range defined by the captured views, T D , the system comprising:

at least S number of optical modules comprising at least S number of respective imaging sensors, S being an integer;

wherein each of the at least S number of imaging sensors pairs with an adjacent imaging sensor to define a maximum effective disparity M D ;

wherein S is greater than or equal to (T D /M D )+1, the ratio T D /M D being greater than 1;

wherein the at least S number of image sensors define substantially parallel imaging planes, and the at least S number of image sensors are configured to translate along a first direction in the parallel planes.

9 . The capture system of claim 8 , wherein the at least S lumber of image sensors are configured to translate along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction in the parallel planes.

10 . The capture system of claim 8 , wherein the at least S number of image sensors are configured to translate along a direction perpendicular to the parallel planes.

11 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the M D is less than 25% of a pixel resolution of a first intermediate view of the at least one intermediate view.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the M D is less than 10% of the pixel resolution of the first intermediate view.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the M D is less than 1% of the pixel resolution of the first intermediate view.

14 . A capture system comprising:

a first cluster of sensors operable to generate first captured views, the first cluster comprising S 1 number of sensors, S 1 being an integer greater than one, wherein a first plurality of intermediate views within a first pixel disparity range, T d1 , are operable to be extrapolated from the first captured views;

a second cluster of sensors operable to generate the second captured views, the second cluster comprising S 2 number of sensors, S 2 being an integer greater than one, wherein a second plurality of intermediate views within a second pixel disparity range, T d2 , are operable to be extrapolated front the second captured views;

wherein each sensor of the first cluster pairs with at least one other sensor to define a maximum effective disparity, M d1 , of the first cluster;

wherein each sensor of the second cluster pair with at least one other sensor to define a maximum effective disparity, M d2 , of the second cluster;

wherein S 1 ≥(T d1 /M d1 )−1;

wherein S 2 ≥(T d2 /M d2 )+1;

wherein the ratios T d1 /M d1 and T d2 /M d2 both greater than 1; and

wherein at least one of the first cluster of sensors and at least one of the second cluster of sensors are defined on different substrates.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the first cluster of sensors comprise at least two sensors defined on a same substrate.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the at least two sensors on the same substrate are operable to capture different views.

17 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the first cluster of sensors comprise at least two sensors defined on different substrates.

18 . A capture system comprising

a first cluster of sensors operable to generate first captured views, the first cluster comprising S 1 number of sensors, S 1 being an integer greater than one, wherein a first plurality of intermediate views within a first pixel disparity range, T d1 , are operable to be extrapolated from the first captured views;

a second cluster of sensors operable to generate the second captured views, the second cluster comprising S 2 number of sensors, S 2 being an integer greater than one, wherein a second plurality of intermediate views within a second pixel disparity range, T d2 , are operable to be extrapolated from the second captured views;

wherein each sensor of the first cluster pairs with at least one other sensor to define a maximum effective disparity, M d1 , of the first cluster;

wherein each sensor of the second cluster pair with at least one other sensor to define a maximum effective disparity, M d2 , of the second cluster;

wherein S 1 ≥(T d1 /M d1 )+1;

wherein S 2 ≥(T d2 /M d2 )+1;

wherein the ratios T d1 /M d1 and T d2 /M d2 are both greater than 1; and

wherein at least one of the first or the second duster of sensors comprise at least two sensors having substantially the same pixel pitch.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the sensors are arranged in a one-dimensional array.

20 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the sensors are arranged in a two dimensional array.