Patent ID: 9712809
Date: 2017-07-18
CPC Classifications: H04N

Claim:
1. A digital image capturing apparatus, comprising: one or more camera hardware modules (CM), each including: an near-infrared (NIR) apodization filter with a continuously varying transmission profile for the NIR band and a non-zero transmission profile for the visible light (RGB) band; an image sensor responsive within both the RGB and NIR bands; and a lens system including one or more lens coupled to provide an optical path between an aperture and the image sensor, the optical path including the NIR apodization filter; and a microprocessor coupled to the CM, the microprocessor including logic circuitry to: receive input image data from the CM including at least RGB color information and NIR intensity information; and store the NIR information to an electronic memory in association with an output image data frame including the RGB information.