Apparatus method and system for imaging
There is provided in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention an optical assembly including a set of optical paths, wherein two or more optical paths receive an image from a common surface. The optical paths may direct received images onto a common image sensor generating a complex multidimensional data set, an image processing block may extrapolate each of the subset of optical paths printed on the image sensor and may generate a multidimensional data set based on the collected images.
1. An apparatus for generating one or more images of a given scene from data output by an imaging sensor substantially concurrently sensing image information of the given scene via two or more optical paths, said apparatus comprising:
Interface circuitry adapted to receive image related signals generated by a single imaging sensor substantially concurrently sensing, on an overlapping segment of a common image sensor array die of the single imaging sensor, image information of the given scene via two or more optical paths, thereby encoding a composite image data set including overlapping image information from said two or more optical paths;
first image data processing circuitry adapted to convert the composite image data set into a second image data set of the given scene, including encoded depth related information of the given scene; and
second image data processing circuitry adapted to render from the composite or second image data set multiple different 2-dimensional images of the given scene.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said first image data processing circuitry is further adapted to identify within the composite image data set, image information captured via a given optical path.
3. A method for generating images of a given scene from data output by an imaging sensor substantially simultaneously sensing the given scene via two or more optical paths, said method comprising:
sensing, substantially simultaneously, a given scene via two or more optical paths on an overlapping segment of a common image sensor array die of a single imaging sensor, thereby encoding a composite image data set including overlapping image information from said two or more optical paths;
converting the composite image data set into a second image data set of the given scene, including encoded depth related information of the given scene; and
rendering multiple different 2-dimensional images of the given scene, by utilizing depth related information encoded within the second image data set.
4. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising identifying within the composite image data set, image information captured via a given optical path.
5. A system for generating multiple different images of a scene from data output by an imaging sensor substantially concurrently sensing the scene via two or more optical paths, said system comprising:
an image sensor adapted to sense, substantially concurrently, a given scene via two or more optical paths on an overlapping segment of a common image sensor array die of said imaging sensor, thereby encoding a composite image data set including overlapping image information from said two or more optical paths;
first image data processing circuitry adapted to convert the composite image data set into a second image data set of the given scene, including encoded depth related information of the given scene; and
second image data processing circuitry adapted to render from the composite or second image data set multiple different 2-dimensional images of the given scene.
6. The system according to claim 5 , wherein said first image data processing circuitry is further adapted to identify within the composite image data set image information captured via a given optical path.