The invention relates to optical device, and particularly to an imaging device and image capturing device
Optical sensor technology develops rapidly, especially for the optical image sensor for image capturing application. Also, some image sensors are engineered for detecting image motion. The existing optical sensors for motion detection are disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 7,209,601B2 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,271,830B2. U.S. Pat. No. 7,209,601B2 discloses an image sensor, which comprises an imaging pixel array for motion detection. U.S. Pat. No. 7,271,830B2 discloses a motion detection method, which comprising the following: comparing a current image frame to one or more previous image frame, and determining whether the motion difference between the current image and the past image frame is below the predetermined threshold value, if the difference is below the predetermined threshold value the current image frame will be seen as the stable status, and the current image frame will be saved as final image. The sensor and method described above use software executed on a processor to compare the same pixel array's output image to find out the motion of the image of the image capturing device, and belong to the software motion detection. Another U.S. publication U.S. 2007/0103555A1 discloses a mobile phone imaging device which implements the motion detection by including one or more gyroscopes. Because of the need of including the gyroscope, the product will have a rather complex structure and high cost.
An object of the example embodiments described herein is to provide an imaging device which can implement a precise sub-frame motion detection. The imaging device may be an imaging sensor. Another object of the embodiments described herein is to provide a simple structure and low cost image capturing device for the implementation of the precise sub-frame motion detection. In accordance with claimed subject matter, the embodiments provide an imaging device comprising an imaging module, used for optical to electrical signal conversion, which comprises at least a first imaging unit and a second imaging unit, the second imaging unit used for detecting the movement of the image or imaging device, the first imaging unit used for capturing an image; a control and processing module, used for controlling the imaging module to output electrical signals, and for processing said electrical signals to generate and to output a motion signal and an image signal.
Said first imaging unit comprises an imaging pixel array for capturing the image signal, said second imaging unit comprises one or more imaging pixel sub-arrays; said imaging pixel sub-arrays are all used for capturing the motion signal, or all used for capturing the motion signal and the image signal simultaneously, or the second imaging unit comprises an imaging pixel sub-array used for capturing the motion signal and imaging pixel sub-array used for capturing the motion signal and image signal simultaneously.
Said first imaging unit and the said second imaging unit are implemented in the same imaging pixel array; and the imaging pixel arrays are divided into many regions, a region thereof is used for capturing the image signal, and the other regions are used for capturing the motion signal, or all regions are used for capturing the motion signal and image signal simultaneously; or the imaging pixel array comprises a region for capturing motion signal and also a region for capturing the motion signal and image signal simultaneously.
Said control and processing module comprises: an image processing unit, used for processing the electrical signal outputted by the said first imaging unit to generate the image signal; a motion detection unit, used for processing the electrical signal outputted by the said second imaging unit to generate the motion signal; and a control unit, used for controlling said first imaging unit, said second imaging unit, said image processing unit and said motion detection unit to work corporately.
Said first imaging unit and the said second imaging unit are set closely in the surface of the same imaging chip. The sampling frame rate of the said first imaging unit is lower than the sampling frame rate of said second imaging unit. The pixel size and pixel amount of said first imaging unit and said second imaging unit is the same or different.
Embodiments of the invention also provide an image capturing device of said imaging device, which comprises: an imaging module, used for optical to electrical signal conversion, which at least comprises a first imaging unit and a second imaging unit, the second imaging unit is used for detecting the movement of the image or imaging device, the first imaging unit is used for capturing image; a control and processing module, used for controlling the imaging module to output electrical signals, and for processing the said electrical signals to generate and to output the motion signal and image signal; an optical lens, used to produce an image of the photographed object at the imaging module;
and an execution module, used for carrying out a relevant movement of the optical lens unit in response to the said motion signal and the image signal.
The execution module comprises an execution control unit and a three dimensions execution mechanism, the execution control unit is used for sending out a motion control instruction according to the motion signal and image signal, the three dimensions execution mechanism is used for drive the object being executed to move in three dimensions according to the motion control instruction.
The motion control instruction is the control instruction for controlling the movement of the optical lens unit to realize the anti-shake compensation. Said first imaging unit and the said second imaging unit are set closely in the surface of the same imaging chip. The sampling frame rate of said first imaging unit is lower than the sampling frame rate of said second imaging unit.
The pixel size and pixel amount of said first imaging unit and said second imaging unit is the same or different. The intended advantageous effects of the embodiments are as follows:
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description and claims and by referring to the accompanying drawings.
a and 5b is a function diagram illustrating the invention's sub-frame motion detection.
The present invention is more specifically described in the following paragraphs by reference to the drawings attached only by way of example.
The invention's imaging device comprises the imaging module, the control and processing module, the imaging module at least comprises the first imaging unit and the second imaging unit. The first imaging unit is used for capturing images; the second imaging unit is used for detecting the movements of the images or the imaging device. The detected movement information comprises the movement's direction, displacement and etc. The first and second imaging units convert the collected optical signals to corresponding electrical signals. The control and processing module controls the first and second imaging unit's outputted electrical signals, and processes them to generate the motion signal and image signal. The motion signal reflects the result of the motion detection, and used for controlling the execution module to carry out the relevant movement, and regulating the status of the element on which the movements are executed.
The first imaging unit comprises an imaging pixel array for capturing the image signal; the second imaging unit comprises one or more imaging pixel arrays. In different embodiments, the second imaging unit's imaging pixel arrays are all used for capturing the motion signal, or all used for capturing the motion signal and the image signal. Alternative the second imaging unit comprises some imaging pixel arrays used for capturing motion signal and also some imaging pixel arrays used for capturing motion signal and image signal.
As an improvement, the first imaging unit and second imaging unit are implemented in the same imaging pixel array. The imaging pixel array is divided into many regions. In different embodiments, a region is used for capturing the image signal, and the other regions are used for capturing the motion signal; or the regions are all used for capturing the motion signal and the image signal. Or the imaging pixel array comprises the region for capturing the motion signal and also the region for capturing the motion signal and the image signal.
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As an improvement, the sampling frame rate of the first imaging unit 310 is lower than the sampling frame rate of the second imaging unit 330. As another improvement, the first imaging unit 310 and the second imaging unit 330 are set closely in the surface of the same imaging chip.
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a and 5b show the sub-frame detection principle of the invention.
In the embodiments of the invention, different imaging pixel arrays/regions can possess of different or same array size, pixel dot size, spectrum filtration method and other corresponding parameters. According to a possible element of a product, the first imaging unit and the second imaging unit may be configured appropriately and the image signal and motion signal will be obtained effectively accordingly. Comparing with the prior art, the embodiments of the invention comprise not only a imaging unit for capturing image, but also an imaging unit for motion detection. The imaging units accomplish the optical and electrical signal conversion. The imaging device then processes the electrical signal to obtain and output the motion signal and image signal. Embodiments of the invention can reflect the motion detection result more accurate than the prior art, and get higher detection precision. Comparing with the other solution of adopting other motion sensor devices, such as gyroscope and acceleration detection instruments, embodiments of the invention can simplify the device's configuration, and bring down the product's (such as the mobile phone's anti-shake image capture device) cost.
While embodiments of the invention have been described in terms of various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification with the spirit and scope of the claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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CN 200810087025.4 | Mar 2008 | CN | national |