IMAGING APPARATUS WITH RESOLUTION ADJUSTABILITY

Abstract

An imaging apparatus with resolution adjustability is provided. The imaging apparatus comprises an image sensor and a prism assembly. The prism assembly guides the imaging beam to the image sensor. The prism assembly comprises a first prism and a second prism. The second prism moves between a first position and a second position relative to the first prism. The vertex angle direction of the first prism differs from that of the second prism by 180 degrees. As the second prism is in the first position relative to the first prism, the imaging beam forms an image within a first area of the image sensor through the first prism and the second prism. As the second prism is in the second position relative to the first prism, the imaging beam forms an image within a second area of the image sensor through the first and the second prism.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 (Prior Art) is a diagram of a CCD line array sensor of a conventional staggered sensing structure.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of an imaging apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing relative shift between two prisms 221 and 222 according to a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a timing diagram of the shift of a prism and the exposure by an image sensor according to a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5A is another diagram showing relative shift between two prisms 221 and 222 according to a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5B is a further diagram showing relative shift between two prisms 221 and 222 according to a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the relative shift between the prisms according to a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram of an imaging area of the image sensor 210 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a timing diagram of the shift of a prism and the exposure by an image sensor according to a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 9 is another diagram showing relative shift between two prisms 221 and 222 according to a second embodiment of the invention.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus with resolution adjustability, comprising: an image sensor; anda prism assembly for guiding an imaging beam to the image sensor, the prism assembly comprising: a first prism; anda second prism moveable between a first position and a second position relative to the first prism, wherein a vertex angle direction of the first prism differs from a vertex angle direction of the second prism by 180 degrees;wherein as the second prism is in the first position relative to the first prism, the imaging beam forms an image within a first area of the image sensor through the first prism and the second prism, and as the second prism is in the second position relative to the first prism, the imaging beam forms an image within a second area of the image sensor through the first prism and the second prism.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a lens, wherein the prism assembly is disposed between the lens and the image sensor.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a lens, wherein the lens is disposed between the prism assembly and the image sensor.

4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image sensor is a line array sensor.

5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image sensor performs exposure as the second prism moves to the first position and the second position relative to the first prism.

6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first prism and the second prism are wedge prisms.

7. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the imaging beam enters the first prism and the second prism, the imaging beam is angulated with respect to the normal of the incident plane of the first prism and the normal of the incident plane of the second prism respectively.

8. The imaging apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the imaging beam entering the second prism is perpendicular to the vertex angle direction plane of the second prism.

9. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shift of the second prism between the first position and the second position relative to the first prism has a movement component perpendicular to the vertex angle direction plane of the first prism or the second prism.

10. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movement of the second prism between the first position and the second position relative to the first prism has a movement component parallel to the vertex angle direction plane of the first prism or the second prism.

11. The imaging apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the movement of the second prism between the first position and the second position relative to the first prism is parallel to a lateral surface of the second prism.

12. The imaging apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first prism and the second prism contact each other, and when the imaging beam enters the first prism and the second prism, the imaging beam is angulated with respect to the normal of the incident plane of the first prism and the normal of the incident plane of the second prism respectively.

13. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image sensor is a plane array sensor.

14. The imaging apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the prism assembly further comprises a third prism and a fourth prism, the fourth prism is moveable between a third position and a fourth position relative to the third prism, and the vertex angle direction of the third prism differs from the vertex angle direction of the fourth prism by 180 degrees; wherein when the fourth prism is in the third position relative to the third prism, the imaging beam forms an image within a third area of the image sensor through the third prism and the fourth prism, and when the fourth prism is in the fourth position relative to the third prism, the imaging beam forms an image within a fourth area of the image sensor through the third prism and the fourth prism;wherein a predetermined angle between the vertex angle direction of the second prism and the vertex angle direction of the fourth prism is larger than 0 degree but smaller than 180 degrees.

15. The imaging apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the predetermined angle is 90 degrees.

16. The imaging apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the image sensor performs exposure as the second prism moves to the first position and the second position relative to the first prism, and when the fourth prism moves to the third position and the fourth position relative to the third prism.

17. The imaging apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the third prism and the fourth prism are wedge prisms.

18. The imaging apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the imaging beam entering the third prism is perpendicular to the vertex angle direction plane of the third prism.

19. The imaging apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the first prism and the third prism are one-piece.

20. The imaging apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the first prism and the third prism form a doublet.

21. The imaging apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the movement of the fourth prism between the third position and the fourth position relative to the third prism has a movement component perpendicular to the vertex angle direction plane of the third prism or the fourth prism.

22. The imaging apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the movement of the fourth prism between the third position and the fourth position relative to the third prism has a movement component parallel to the vertex angle direction of the third prism or the fourth prism.

23. The imaging apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the movement of the fourth prism between the third position and the fourth position relative to the third prism is parallel to a lateral surface of the fourth prism.

24. The imaging apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the first prism and the second prism contact each other, the third prism and the fourth prism contact each other, when the imaging beam enters the first prism and the second prism, the imaging beam is angulated with respect to the normal of the incident plane of the first prism and the normal of the incident plane of the second prism respectively, and when the imaging beam enters the third prism and the fourth prism, the imaging beam is angulated with respect to the normal of the incident plane of the third prism and the normal of the incident plane of the fourth prism respectively.