Patent ID: 6137535
Filing Date: 2000-10-24
Classification: G02B,H04N

Abstract:
A compact digital camera, comprising:a lenslet array comprised of a plurality of lenslets, each lenslet having a decentration corresponding to its radial position in the lenslet array so that the axial ray of each lenslet views a different segment of a total field of view;a photosensor array comprised of a plurality of sub-groups of photodetectors, each sub-group comprising a plurality of photodetectors and being positioned along the axial ray of a respective lenslet;a plurality of electronic arrays dispersed in the spaces between the spaced apart sub-groups of photodetectors, each of the arrays configured to one of the sub-groups for receiving the provided output signals from the sub-group that the array is associated with, the array having electronics to amplify, digitize, invert, and store, the provided output signals to facilitate image capture; anda field limiting baffle comprised of at least one aperture plate where the center of the apertures are positioned to lie along the axial ray of a respective lenslet;array electronics comprising:a plurality of current multipliers, corresponding in number to the number of sub-groups of radiation sensors, each connected to a respective sub-group for receiving the outputs of the radiation sensors in the sub-group;a corresponding plurality of analog-to-digital converters, each connected to an associated current multiplier;a corresponding plurality of inverters for digitally inverting the sub-images from said analog-to-digital converters; anda corresponding plurality of storage devices connected to receive the digitally inverted sub-images from corresponding inverters for storing the provided digitally inverted sub-images.