KR20170094968A - Member for measuring depth between camera module, and object and camera module having the same - Google Patents

Abstract

A camera module includes: a lens holder in which a receiving space is formed; at least one lens arranged in the receiving space of the lens holder; a subject distance measuring member arranged in the receiving space for extracting distance information of a subject and forming a patterning infrared ray by filtering a part of the infrared ray of a visible ray and the infrared ray provided to the receiving space; and an image sensor module including an image sensor including RGB pixels for generating a color image using the visible ray and infrared pixels for generating an infrared image for extracting the distance information using the patterning infrared ray. Accordingly, the present invention can implement a 3D image with a very small size without the quality degradation of the image.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to a camera module having a subject distance measuring member,

The present invention relates to a subject distance measuring member and a camera module having the same.

2. Description of the Related Art [0002] Recently, there has been a demand for a camera module for photographing an image or a moving image mounted on a portable information processing device such as a camera module for a vehicle or a smart phone, A camera module is used.

In general, a camera module can acquire a two-dimensional image or a moving image. However, in recent years, in order to implement a three-dimensional image by adding depth information between a subject and a camera to a two-dimensional image acquired from an image sensor of a camera module Technology development is proceeding.

In order to acquire a three-dimensional image, a distance between the camera and the object can be predicted using a laser scanner or the like. However, this method requires a separate light source, the quality of the image is reduced by the light source, The size of the camera module is greatly increased.

In order to acquire a three-dimensional image, there is a stereo camera method using two cameras. However, when two cameras are used to acquire a three-dimensional image, the size of the camera module is greatly increased and the manufacturing cost is greatly increased.

Conventionally, a separate device has to be used to realize a three-dimensional image. Therefore, the size of the camera is greatly increased. In addition, it is very difficult to realize a three-dimensional image in a car camera or a smartphone camera.

The present invention obtains a high-quality image of a subject by using a visible light reflected from a subject and inputted to an image sensor, and acquires distance information with a subject by using infrared rays, thereby obtaining a three- A camera module and a camera module having the object distance measuring member.

In the present invention, an image is generated using visible light, a patterning infrared ray is formed by filtering a part of infrared rays, an infrared image is generated using patterning infrared rays, and a three-dimensional image can be implemented by extracting distance information from an infrared ray image And a camera module having the object distance measuring member.

The present invention provides a subject distance measuring member capable of realizing a three-dimensional image using one image sensor and correcting the quality of an image of a subject by using distance information with respect to the subject, and a camera module having the subject distance measuring member.

In one embodiment, the object distance measuring member includes a subject distance extracting film for transmitting incident visible light rays for extracting depth information of a subject, filtering the part of infrared rays incident along with the visible light ray to form a patterning infrared ray, .

The object distance measuring member further includes a transparent substrate for supporting the object distance extracting film.

The object distance extracting film of the object distance measuring member includes a first pattern unit for passing both the visible light and the infrared light, and a second pattern unit for transmitting the visible light and blocking the infrared light to form the patterned infrared light.

The first and second pattern portions of the object distance measuring member are alternately formed.

The first pattern portion and the second pattern portion of the object distance measuring member are disposed at a central portion of the object distance extracting film.

The first pattern portion and the second pattern portion of the object distance measuring member are each formed into a rectangular shape when viewed in a plan view.

In one embodiment, the camera module includes: a lens holder having a storage space therein; At least one lens disposed in the accommodating space of the lens holder; A subject distance measuring member disposed in the storage space for extracting distance information of a subject and forming a patterning infrared ray by filtering a part of the infrared ray among a visible ray and an infrared ray provided to the storage space; And an image sensor module having an image sensor including RGB pixels for generating a color image using the visible light and infrared pixels for generating an infrared image for extracting distance information using the patterning infrared ray .

One RGB pixel and one infrared pixel of the camera module form one pixel.

The object distance measuring member of the camera module includes a first pattern unit for passing both the visible light and the infrared light and a second pattern unit for passing the visible light and blocking the infrared light to form the patterned infrared light, Film.

RGB color filters are formed in the RGB pixels of the image sensor of the camera module and an infrared ray transmission filter for blocking the visible light and passing the infrared ray is formed in the infrared ray pixel.

In one embodiment, a method for extracting subject distance information includes: generating a visible light image using the visible light; Generating a infrared image for extracting distance information using patterning infrared rays by filtering a part of the infrared light among light including visible light and infrared light; And calculating distance information of the objects using the infrared image.

The method further includes the step of calculating the distance information of the subject using the infrared image, and then correcting the visible light image using the distance information formed with the subject.

According to the present invention, a subject distance measuring member and a camera module having the subject distance measuring member acquire a high-quality image of a subject using a visible light reflected from a subject and incident on the image sensor, and acquire distance information with the subject using patterning infrared rays, Dimensional image with a very small size without deteriorating the quality of the image.

1 is a plan view of a subject distance measuring member according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II 'of FIG.
3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a transparent substrate included in the object distance measuring member shown in FIG.
4 is a cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the visible light and the image sensor passing through the object distance measuring member shown in FIG.
5 is a plan view showing one pixel of the image sensor.
6 is a cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the visible light and the image sensor passed through the object distance measuring member shown in FIG.
7 is a plan view showing one color pixel and an infrared pixel of the image sensor.
8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention.
9 is a flowchart illustrating a method of extracting subject distance information according to an embodiment of the present invention.
10 is a block diagram showing the extraction method of FIG.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention, which is set forth below, may be embodied with various changes and may have various embodiments, and specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail.

It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments, but includes all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The terminology used in this application is used only to describe a specific embodiment and is not intended to limit the invention. The singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In the present application, the terms "comprises" or "having" and the like are used to specify that there is a feature, a number, a step, an operation, an element, a component or a combination thereof described in the specification, But do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof.

Also, the terms first, second, etc. may be used to distinguish between various components, but the components should not be limited by the terms. The terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another.

1 is a plan view of a subject distance measuring member according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I 'of FIG.

The object distance measuring member 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be fixed together with a lens inside a lens holder in which lenses of the camera module are housed.

The object distance measuring member 100 may be disposed in front of the lens or behind the lens.

When the object distance measuring member 100 is fixed together with the lens in the lens holder, the size of the camera module by the object distance measuring member 100 can be greatly reduced.

In addition, the object distance measuring member 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention may use infrared rays reflected from a subject instead of visible light reflected from an object to enter the image sensor, You can calculate the distance (or depth).

When the distance between the subject and the image sensor of the camera module is calculated using infrared rays, the distance between the image sensor and the subject can be calculated while preventing deterioration of the image obtained using the visible light from the image sensor .

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the object distance measuring member 100 may include a subject distance extracting film 110 formed in a disk shape when viewed in a plan view.

The object distance extracting film 110 transmits visible light reflected from a subject to extract subject distance information, filters (or blocks) a part of infrared rays that are incident on the visible light along with the visible light reflected from the subject, Infrared "

The image sensor can generate a high-quality black-and-white image or a high-quality color image of the subject, for example, using visible light that passes through the subject distance extracting film 110 without light loss.

In addition, the image sensor can generate an infrared image including distance information of the object by using the patterning infrared ray that has passed through the object distance extracting film 110. [

The infrared image generated from the image sensor is subjected to image processing to generate depth information between the object and the image sensor.

The distance information can be used to three-dimensionally correct a monochrome image or a color image provided from the image sensor, or to correct the image according to the distance of a subject included in a monochrome image or a color image, thereby further improving the quality of the image.

The object distance extracting layer 110 may include a first pattern portion 112 and a second pattern portion 114.

The first pattern portion 112 and the second pattern portion 114 of the object distance extraction film 110 may be arranged in a matrix form when viewed in plan. For example, the first pattern portion 112 and the second pattern portion 114 may be alternately formed.

The first pattern portion 112 and the second pattern portion 114 formed alternately in the object distance extraction layer 110 may be disposed at the center of the object distance extraction layer 110.

The first and second pattern units 112 and 114 alternately formed on the object distance extraction layer 110 may be formed in a rectangular shape when viewed in a plan view.

The first pattern unit 112 passes both the visible light and the infrared light reflected from the subject. In Fig. 2, a visible ray incident from the subject is indicated by a dotted line, and the infrared ray reflected from the subject and incident is indicated by a solid line.

The second pattern unit 114 passes visible light reflected from the subject and transmits the visible light, but blocks the infrared ray reflected from the subject and incident on the second pattern unit 114.

Accordingly, the visible light reflected from the subject transmits through both the first and second pattern units 112 and 114, while the infrared rays reflected from the subject can pass through the first pattern unit 112 only.

Hereinafter, the infrared ray that has been reflected by the subject and passed through the first pattern portion 112 of the subject distance extracting film 110 is defined as "patterning infrared ray ".

3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a transparent substrate included in the object distance measuring member shown in FIG.

3, in order to prevent the object distance extracting film 110 from being bent or deflected due to a very small thickness of the object distance extracting film 110, the object distance measuring member 100 May further include a transparent substrate 116 for supporting the object distance extraction film 110.

The transparent substrate 116 may be made of, for example, glass, quartz, or the like that transmits visible light and patterned infrared light.

4 is a cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the visible light and the image sensor passing through the object distance measuring member shown in FIG. 5 is a plan view showing one pixel of the image sensor.

4 and 5, the visible light reflected from the subject and incident on the subject distance measuring member 100 passes through the first pattern portion 112 and the second pattern portion 114 of the subject distance extracting film 110 After all passes, it reaches the image sensor.

The visible light rays that have passed through both the first and second pattern units 112 and 114 and then reach the image sensor are converted into a color image of red (R), green (G) and blue (B) It may be incident on a pixel (RGB) and a color image may be generated from the image sensor.

In an embodiment of the present invention, since the visible light reflected from the subject passes through the subject distance extracting film 110 without being lost, and is incident on the color pixel (RGB) of the image sensor, a high quality image is generated from the image sensor .

6 is a cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the visible light and the image sensor passing through the object distance measuring member shown in FIG. 7 is a plan view showing one color pixel and an infrared pixel of the image sensor.

6 and 7, the infrared rays reflected from the subject and incident on the subject distance measuring member 100 are transmitted through the first pattern portion 112 of the subject distance extracting film 110 and transmitted through the second pattern portion 114, So that only the patterned infrared ray that has passed through the first pattern portion 112 of the infrared rays reaches the image sensor.

The patterned infrared rays that have arrived at the image sensor after passing through the first pattern unit 112 are selectively incident only on the infrared pixel IR as shown in FIG. 7, and the image sensor generates an infrared image using the patterned infrared rays.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the infrared image generated from the image sensor may be image-processed using a specific algorithm, thereby obtaining the depth information between the objects and the image sensor from the infrared image.

[algorithm]

f * x = y

x = argmin (| f * xy | ² )

f: blur kernel, x: deblurred image, y: blurred image (captured image)

In the algorithm described above, distance information is extracted using an unfocused blurred image and a focused deflurred image from an infrared image.

In [Algorithm], x is a sharp image, and y is a cloudy image imaged on an image sensor. Through the above [algorithm], it is possible to extract distance information by finding x satisfying the f * x value most similar to y for each scale, thereby improving the image quality by reconstructing the image in three dimensions and using the distance information.

8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention. The object distance measuring member of the camera module according to an embodiment of the present invention has substantially the same configuration as the object distance measuring member of FIG. 1 shown above. Therefore, redundant description of the same configuration will be omitted, and the same names and the same reference numerals will be given to the same configurations.

Referring to FIG. 8, the camera module includes a lens holder 200, a lens 300, a subject distance measuring member 100, and an image sensor module 400.

The lens holder 200 may be formed in a shape having, for example, a storage space therein. The lens holder 200 may be made of a metal material or a synthetic resin material.

The lens 300 and the object distance measuring member 100 can be arranged and fixed in the storage space of the lens holder 200. [

The lens 300 may be disposed in a storage space of the lens holder 200 and at least two lenses 300 may be disposed in the storage space of the lens holder 200. [

The object distance measuring member 100 includes a first pattern portion 112 through which both visible light and infrared light are transmitted and a second pattern portion 114 that selectively blocks only infrared light to generate patterning infrared rays. 110). The object distance measuring member 100 is disposed inside the lens holder 200.

The object distance measuring member 100 may be disposed in front of or behind the lens 300 disposed in the receiving space of the lens holder 200. Alternatively, the object distance measuring member 100 may be disposed between the lenses 300.

The image sensor module 400 includes a circuit board 410 and an image sensor 420.

The circuit board 410 is disposed on the lower surface of the lens holder 200 and the image sensor 420 is mounted on the circuit board 410.

The image sensor 420 includes an RGB pixel and an infrared pixel IR each composed of a red pixel R, a green pixel G and a blue pixel B as shown in FIG. 5, and includes red pixels R, The green pixel G and the blue pixel B and the infrared pixel IR form one unit pixel. In the image sensor 410, a plurality of unit pixels may be arranged in a matrix according to the resolution.

A red color filter is formed so that red light is selectively incident on the red pixel R of the image sensor 420 and a green color filter is formed on the green pixel G so that green light is selectively incident on the green pixel G And a blue color filter is formed in the blue pixel (B) so that light of a blue wavelength band is selectively incident on the blue pixel (B).

Particularly, the infrared ray IR of the image sensor 420 may be formed with an infrared ray transmission filter selectively incident on the infrared ray.

9 is a flowchart illustrating a method of extracting subject distance information according to an embodiment of the present invention. 10 is a block diagram showing the extraction method of FIG.

8, 9 and 10, the visible light reflected from the subject is reflected by the first pattern portion 112 and the second pattern portion 114 of the distance measurement extraction film 110 of the object distance measuring member 100, And enters the RGB pixels of the image sensor 420, and a visible light image 1 is generated from the RGB pixels of the image sensor 420 (step S10)

On the other hand, the patterning infrared rays that have passed through the first pattern portion 112 of the distance measuring and extracting film 110 of the object distance measuring member 100 among the infrared rays reflected from the object are incident on the infrared pixels of the image sensor 420, An infrared image 3 is generated from the infrared pixels of the sensor 420 (step S20)

The infrared image 3 generated from the image sensor 420 is obtained by using the image processing technique using a specific algorithm and the depth information 5 between the objects included in the infrared image 3 and the image sensor 420 Are extracted for each subject (step S30)

When the distance information between the objects and the image sensors 420 is extracted, the visible light image is reconstructed in three dimensions using the distance information, or the visible light image is corrected by correcting the focusing of the visible light image, A light beam image correction 7 is performed. (Step S40)

As described above in detail, the object distance measuring member and the camera module having the object distance measuring unit acquire a high-quality image of a subject by using a visible light reflected from the subject and incident on the image sensor, A three-dimensional image can be realized in a very small size without deteriorating the quality of the image.

It should be noted that the embodiments disclosed in the drawings are merely examples of specific examples for the purpose of understanding, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other modifications based on the technical idea of the present invention are possible in addition to the embodiments disclosed herein.

100 ... object distance measuring member 200 ... lens holder
300 ... Lens 400 ... Image sensor module

Claims (10)

And a subject distance extracting film for transmitting a visible light ray to extract depth information of the subject and filtering the part of infrared rays incident along with the visible ray to form a patterning infrared ray. The method according to claim 1,
And a transparent substrate for supporting the object distance extraction film. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the object distance extracting film includes a first pattern portion through which the visible light and the infrared light pass, and a second pattern portion through which the visible light is transmitted and the infrared light is blocked to form the patterned infrared light. The method of claim 3,
Wherein the first and second pattern units are alternately formed. The method of claim 3,
Wherein the first pattern portion and the second pattern portion are circularly arranged at a central portion of the object distance extracting film. The method of claim 3,
Wherein the first pattern portion and the second pattern portion are each formed into a rectangular shape when viewed in plan. A lens holder having a storage space therein;
At least one lens disposed in the accommodating space of the lens holder;
A subject distance measuring member disposed in the storage space for extracting distance information of a subject and forming a patterning infrared ray by filtering a part of the infrared ray among a visible ray and an infrared ray provided to the storage space; And
A camera including an image sensor module having an image sensor including infrared pixels for generating an infrared image for extracting distance information using RGB pixels for generating a color image using the visible light and using the patterning infrared light, module. 8. The method of claim 7,
Wherein one RGB pixel and one infrared pixel form one pixel. 8. The method of claim 7,
Wherein the object distance measuring member includes a first pattern unit that passes both the visible light and the infrared light and a second pattern unit that passes the visible light and blocks the infrared light to form the patterned infrared light, Camera module. 8. The method of claim 7,
Wherein RGB color filters are formed in the RGB pixels of the image sensor, and the infrared ray pixel includes an infrared ray transmission filter for blocking the visible ray and passing the infrared ray.

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