Patent ID: 8395696
Filing Date: 2013-03-12
Classification: G02B,H01L,H04N

Abstract:
1. A digital imaging system for generating a virtual image of a scene, wherein the virtual image includes a plurality of pixels, the system comprising: a photosensor array, having a plurality of photosensors, configured to detect light including a plurality of light rays from the scene, wherein each photosensor, in response to detecting the light incident thereon, generates light data, the photosensor array further configured to detect a set of the plurality of light rays that concurrently arrive at the particular portion of the physical focal plane at different angles of incidence; an optics arrangement, having a physical focus, configured to direct light rays from the scene to the photosensor array via a physical focal plane; and processing circuitry to compute a pixel value of each pixel of the virtual image by combining light data from selected photosensors based on angles of incidence of the light rays detected by each photosensor, as characterized by the location of each photosensor relative to the physical focal plane, the virtual image having a virtual focus and a virtual focal plane that are respectively different from the physical focus and the physical focal plane, wherein the virtual focal plane comprises one of a planar focal plane and a non-planar focal plane, wherein the processing circuitry further determines the angles of incidence of light upon each photosensor using a position of each photosensor relative to the microlens, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to combine the light data from selected photosensors based on data indicative of a virtual focal plane that is tilted relative to the physical focal plane and the angles of incidence of the light rays detected by each photosensor, to generate a virtual image of the scene having a virtual focus at the virtual focal plane.