TW201218778A - Optical module comprising monochromatic image sensors - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an optical module comprising: at least three monochromatic image sensors sensitive each to a different wavelength; and as many lenses as there are image sensors, each lens being coupled to a distinct image sensor, wherein each lens is provided to form an identical image of an object located in front of the module onto the image sensor to which ills coupled.

Description

201218778 VI. INSTRUCTIONS: C TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to an optical module for capturing images, such as for use in a mobile phone. The optical module typically includes at least one image sensor and a lens for forming an image of an object (or object image) disposed on the sensor prior to the module. Optical modules for telephones must typically be produced at the lowest possible cost and with a high volume of millions of meters per day. [Previous technology winter j background] Because it is technically difficult to produce a color sensor pixel system that satisfies the requirements of color, a standard structure of a color image sensor includes a plurality of sensor pixels, each of which The pixel is sensitive to a particular wavelength of light. The pixels are arranged in an array, for example along a pattern as shown in Figure 1 and known as a Bayer pattern, in which one column is alternately composed of blue and green pixels. The continuation is made up of red and green pixels such that a subset of 2 x 2 pixels is always composed of two green pixels arranged along a diagonal line and a red color along the other diagonal line. It is composed of a blue pixel as shown in Fig. 1. A "red" pixel is, for example, a pixel that is fabricated to be sensitive to red wavelengths by applying a filter over the pixel that has a maximum transmittance in a wavelength range that is considered red. And cut off other frequencies. The same considerations apply to a "blue" and a "green" pixel.

S 3 201218778 Red, basket and green are called primary colors because they allow for the restoration of any color that can be perceived by the human eye in a different proportion of the combination. However, there are other primary colors such as yellow, magenta, and cyan. The accuracy of the combination of colors depends on the accuracy of the filtering of incident light incident on the primary colors and in order to overcome the inaccuracies from the filtering, image sensors having more than three primary colors are proposed. The following description is only for the case of arranging one pixel matrix along the Bayer pattern with red, green and blue as the primary colors; but all inferences and knots can be extended to the selection of other primary colors' including more than three primary colors. . In a standard optical module for forming an image in an image sensor having a matrix of pixels, a lens system is provided to form an image on the matrix of pixels. To achieve this result, the pixel matrix must be contained within the visible area (FOV) of the lens. The pixel system of each subset of pixels of the Bayer pattern is read to recombine the color sensed by each subset of pixels, thus allowing the color image formed on the matrix to be recombined. For an optical module with a pair of angled D sensors and a lens with a focal length F, the F〇v can be calculated from the following relationship: F = D/[2.Tan(FOV /2)] (1) Therefore, for a hypothetical visible region F0V (which is approximately 54 degrees for a standard lens and approximately 65. 9 degrees for a wide-angle lens, or is referred to as a fisheye lens) For larger angles, the focal length F is proportional to D. Accordingly, if the sensor matrix contains more pixels, the diagonal D of the matrix will be larger, and 201218778 for-including the sensor In terms of modules, the focal length sighs must be larger. However, the trend of squeaking calls is to promote thinner and thinner components and modules with more and more pixels. So there is - for - The short focal length has the requirement of an optical module comprising a sensor with a large number of pixels. U.S. Patent No. 5,276,538 and U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 2/嶋922 disclose ge<<>> A microlens array to increase the amount of light incident on each pixel or light sensing element of the array. Light is formed in the shadow portion of the microlens array (above the corresponding pixel) to improve the light sensing efficiency of the pixel. C SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION: SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an optical mode a group having at least three monochromatic image sensors sensitized to a different wavelength; wherein each lens is coupled to a respective image sensor; and each lens system is provided to form an identical image To an image sensor connected thereto. One embodiment of the present invention is provided for an optical module comprising: at least three monochromatic image sensors of the same wave region; and image sensing The same number of lenses, each lens is connected to a separate image sensor; each lens is provided to form an image of the same image of the object disposed in front of the module to the lens connection In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the image sensors are coplanar 'the lenses are coplanar' and wherein the axes of the lenses are radiused, 201218778 thickness and refractive index Selected to make The lenses have an identical back focus. According to one embodiment of the invention, the lenses are formed on a common transparent plate. According to one embodiment of the invention, the lenses and the plate are made of glass. According to an embodiment of the invention, the lenses are formed in the recesses of the transparent plate. According to an embodiment of the invention, each of the monochrome image sensors comprises one-to-one monochromatic light. Photosensitive pixel array. According to an embodiment of the invention, the at least three monochromatic image sensors comprise a sensor that is sensitive to red light, a sensor that is sensitive to blue light, and a pair of green light. Photosensitive sensor. According to an embodiment of the invention, the at least three image sensors comprise a sensor that is sensitive to red light, a sensor that is sensitive to blue light, and two pairs of green light. Photosensitive sensor. Another embodiment of the present invention provides a system comprising: an optical module according to any of the preceding embodiments; and means for aligning images sensed by each of the monochrome image sensors . According to an embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus for aligning the image includes: means for determining a predetermined pattern in an image of a predetermined pattern object on each of the monochrome image sensors; Means for determining which portion of the respective monochrome image sensor the same predetermined pattern is formed on. 6 201218778 In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the means for aligning the image sensed by each of the monochrome image sensors includes means for storing information on how the address must be changed. The address corresponds to a predetermined portion of the image in one of the image sensors, and the address must be altered to conform to the same predetermined image in the other image sensors. Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method of fabricating an optical module, comprising: providing at least three respective monochromatic image sensors each responsive to a different wavelength; and connecting a respective lens To each image sensor, each lens system is provided to form an identical image of an object disposed in front of the module to the image sensor to which the lens is attached. An embodiment of the invention further includes providing a coplanar image sensor and providing a lens formed on a common transparent plate. An embodiment of the present invention further includes: forming an image of a predetermined pattern object on each sensor; determining which portion of the respective monochrome image sensor is formed by the same predetermined pattern from the predetermined pattern object And determining and storing information on how a site must be changed, the address conforming to a predetermined portion of the image in one of the image sensors, and the address must be altered to conform to other images The same predetermined image in the sensor. According to an embodiment of the present invention, forming an image of a predetermined pattern object on each of the sensors comprises: using a predetermined pattern object having an edge parallel to an edge of the pixel of the sensor; The pattern object is arranged at a distance from the optical module such that the image of the image object on the sensor 7 201218778 is equal to the integer of the pixels of the sensors. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 illustrates a Bayer pattern of a sensor pixel array. Fig. 2 is a projection view of a sensor according to one of the embodiments of the present invention. Figure 3 is a projection of a lens array that is provided for use with the sensor of Figure 2. Figure 4 is a projection view showing three components of a module including a sensor of Figure 2 and a lens array of Figure 3, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5A is a projection view of a glass sheet suitable for use in the fabrication of the lens array of Figure 3. Figure 5B is a cross section of the glass sheet of Figure 5A. Figs. 6A to 6E illustrate the steps of manufacturing a specific embodiment of the lens array as shown in Fig. 3, which uses the glass sheets of Figs. 5A to 5B. Figures 7A through 7C illustrate the steps of fabricating another embodiment of a lens array as shown in Figure 3. Figure 8 is a cross section of a lens of one embodiment of a lens array as shown in Figure 3. Figure 9 is a cross section of a lens of another embodiment of a lens array as shown in Figure 3. 201218778 i: Embodiment 3 Detailed Description As described above, the focal length F of an optical module is proportional to the diagonal D of the sensor of the optical module. In order to reduce the focal length F, the present invention provides for the replacement of a multi-color sensor having a diagonal D with a group of smaller monochromatic sensors or sub-sensors having smaller diagonal lines. For example, the present invention provides four emerald sensors (one having red pixels, one having blue pixels, and two having green pixels) as shown in FIG. 2 and each having an approximately D/2 diagonal. Instead of having pixels arranged along a Bayer pattern and having a diagonal multi-color sensor. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the image is read and then processed to recombine the image. When the image is older than a - (four) component (such as an LCD camp or a CRT tube), the image can be reconstituted in an intermediate memory (hereinafter referred to as IM) or instantly. BenQiao provides an overlap of the monochromatic images of each-monochrome provided by each of the sub-sensors with precise overlap (ie, having better than - basic pixel = dimension) by recognizing Many of the attribute features on the images, such as edges using such locations to overlap: within, are preferably accomplished. The position of the edge or the shape of the predetermined shape to be observed and the monochromatic image (for example, stored in a memory), the present invention is intended to have all of the monochromatic f-image systems having

This will affect the different color differences of the image, how to say and how to look at the hue.

9 S 201218778 can be the same. When the condition of the chromatic aberration mentioned above is satisfied, the monochrome image of the predetermined shape that is worth observing in each sensation is different only in its position, so that once the predetermined shape is in the monochrome image The position inside is phase _, allowing the transition of the heavy-monochromatic image to be determined. Only when, for example, the module is tested after the sensor has been combined with the lens, and when the data defining the transition of the color image can be stored in a non-volatile memory (usually ^NVM) ^ The operation of the transition of the monochrome image can be carried out. When the transition can be defined as - some pixels without 疋, the value of 4 pairs 'the data that defines the transition does not need - a large memory. In order to give -the order of magnitude, it is assumed that each sensor is composed of (four) pixels of N rows (pair; ^-VGA sensor, N=64G#p=48... if pixels in each sensor) The transition is defined by two adjustment numbers, one less than N and the other less than P, in terms of its position along the line and the position of the line. The present invention refers to the social contract. N or p plus or minus the adjustment of 1G pixels makes it possible to align the monochromatic images obtained by the VGA sub-sensor with the material 4〇 and MO. Therefore, one of the specific embodiments of the present invention Embodiments provide for adding 20 columns or 20 rows of pixels to a monochrome sub-sensor having N=640 and P=480, which is used in a module according to the invention. Alternatively, the row or column is increased. The number can be reduced, effectively reducing the material: the size of the field. When the module's accuracy is greater than the image compensation plus or minus 10 pixels, the number of rows or columns can be increased. Increased. 曰10 201218778 Assume that each transition is limited to a positive or negative value of one pixel (10 pixels for the sensing) The ratio of the total number of rows or columns of the device, which is large enough to mask a change caused by manufacturing tolerances, and each transition can be coded as 4+1=5 bits. Current semiconductor manufacturing technology allows for embedding Sufficient NVM components are placed in a standard sensor wafer to achieve this amount without affecting the cost of manufacturing the wafer. When cost considerations are of primary importance, they are an important consideration for consideration; especially In the mobile phone industry, which is an important application of one of the optical modules described herein. Alternatively, one embodiment of the present invention provides for sensing (with devices inside or outside the module) for each sensor Which portion receives the corresponding portion of the image formed on the secondary sensors. The module can therefore include a location for storing a predetermined image portion in one of the secondary sensors A device that must be altered to conform to information of the same predetermined image portion in other secondary sensors. According to one embodiment of the invention, the module can be included in each sensor for automatic use. Correcting a single read address transmitted to the module as an electronic device that properly reads the address. This allows a single read address to be transmitted to the module. An example of a predetermined pattern object or shape worth observing may include Four black L-shaped objects disposed adjacent to respective four corners of a rectangle, the monochromatic images of which are formed on each of the sub-sensors. Preferably, the predetermined pattern system has a predetermined use a pattern object having an edge parallel to an edge of a pixel of the sensor; and the pattern system is arranged at a distance from the optical module such that the pattern on the sensor 11 201218778 The dimensions of the image of the object are equivalent to the integers of the pixels of the sensor. As shown in Figure 3, the formation of such monochromatic images on the four sub-sensors requires four lenses 30. In accordance with the present invention, each lens system is calculated to properly focus a primary color on a suitable corresponding secondary sensor. Preferably, the distance from each of the lenses to the surface of the sensor is the same. In accordance with the present invention, replacing a single large multi-color sensor with a plurality of monochrome sub-sensors reduces the height of the photographic module without substantially increasing the overall cost of the optical module. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a low cost modular combination can be achieved by providing a simple combined system that involves a single adjustment relative to one of the positions of one of the lens arrays of the primary sensor array. An image component intended for mass production is generally, reflowable, which means that it can withstand the necessary temperatures for soldering all components on a primary printed circuit board (PCB) in a single operation. In its current state, lenses that can withstand such temperatures are made of glass or with some optical grade thermoformed resins such as epoxy. The use of epoxy to make a lens system provides a lens that is large enough to withstand the reflow temperature. A relatively inexpensive method. However, the optical properties of such a resin have so far not allowed to achieve the optical properties obtained when using glass, and glass is a preferred material for producing lenses of superior quality. Preferably, the present invention Is provided for locating an array of N glass lenses on a sensor consisting of N secondary sensors (where n is at least equal to 3) 'Every such secondary sensor exhibits a primary color characteristic And each of the corresponding lens systems has a focal length 'which is determined to provide a precise focal length of the color component of the light on the corresponding secondary 12 201218778 detector According to an embodiment of the invention, if the desired optical quality of the lens requires more than two optical surfaces, then an additional lens array can be stacked on top of a first lens array. For example, the first lens The array may be formed by a plano-convex lens that faces the side of the object, and the second lens array may be comprised of a plano-concave lens that faces the side of the image. More arrays may be added if necessary However, for mobile phone applications, the array of two layers is usually sufficient. As mentioned above, one of the primary colors usually uses a selection system containing red, green and basket colors 'with a green secondary sensor with n=4 m ...a red and a blue & however, other systems may be based on specific embodiments of the invention: used, for example, with three different primary colors magenta, yellow, and Cyan. Or more than three primary colors. Figure 4 shows a module in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention using a red sub-sensor, a blue sub-sensor as illustrated in Figure 2, and Two green A sub-sensor; and a lens array as illustrated in Figure 3. A lens holder 40 having four holes 42 is arranged on a sensor 44 that is divided into four sub-sensors 46. The wheel train of each of the four holes 42 is located at the center of each sensor 46. A lens array 48 including four lenses 50 is arranged on the lens holder 40 such that each of the four lenses 5 The optical system of the cymbal passes through the center of each corresponding sub-sensor 46. As described above, the third figure illustrates the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

13 S 201218778 An array of lenses. The lenses comprise a respective first semi-lens: they are referred to as N1, N2, N3 and N4, or in a general manner Nx. Each of the first semi-lenses is made of glass having a refractive index that is annotated as NxBlue for blue light, NxGreen for green light, and NxRed for red light. Similarly, the Abbe number is noted as Vdx. According to an embodiment of the invention, the glass lens is formed by molding the first semi-lens in a glass having a low switching temperature (Note Tgx) to a common planar parallel glass plate forming a second semi-lens of the lens. And formed. The shared glass sheet has a refractive index of NcommonRed, NcommonGreen, NcommonBlue, and an Abbe number Vdcommon' and a high transition temperature (noted as Tgo, preferably about 1 celsius higher than the higher Tgx). 〇 degree). The optical axes of the four semi-lenses Nx are passed through the glass plate at four points, denoted as 〇x. In one embodiment of the invention, the four semi-lenses are flat convex or flat concave surfaces, and the interface with the glass plate is planar. According to another embodiment of the invention, the interface may also be given a spherical or non-spherical shape. To do so, the optical surface at the center of Ox is formed by molding the glass sheet before molding the half mirror on the board, as shown in Fig. 5A. Figure 5A shows a glass sheet 52 having four grooves 54 for providing a non-planar interface. Figure 5B shows a cross section of the optical axis 56 of the plate 52 that passes through the two recesses 54. Preferably, the optical axis 56 of the recess 54 on the glass plate 52 is aligned with the optical axis of the semi-lenses, typically within 2 microns. 14 201218778 Figures 6A through 6E illustrate a series of operations for fabricating a lens array as shown in Figure 3. Figure 6A shows a cross section of a glass sheet 62 placed in a tool. The tool comprises a template 6 位于 above the upper surface of the plate 52, which has an axial alignment with which the lens will be formed. The cylindrical hole in position 6 2 . A mold core 64 having a bottom surface as the shape of the desired semi-lens surface is introduced into the cylindrical bore 62. Figure 6B shows that when the temperature of the panel is maintained above Tgo, the core 64 is extruded to the glass sheet 52, thus forming a recess 66 that axially aligns the cylindrical bore 62. The plate 52 is then cooled. Typically, Tg0 can be in the range of 650 to 720 degrees Celsius, and the molding temperature can range from 71 Å to 780 degrees Celsius. This temperature can be reached in about 3 to 4 seconds and then cooled after extrusion of the core. The cooling time is of the same order of magnitude as the heating time, but in order to suppress the stress caused by a rapid cooling in the glass, a successive annealing can be performed, which again heats the glass below Tg and reaches A slow cooling of about 1 degree Celsius per hour. Beneficially, this anneal is performed at the end of the process, i.e., after the operation described in relation to Figure 6E, so that the model cannot flow. Figure 6C shows a tool 6〇 in which the core 64 has been removed and a glass ball 68 made of a different, suitable glass has been placed in the groove 66 instead, a glass paste ball (not shown) ) can be hanged in this position. If this process option that enhances the alignment of the optical axis is selected, the temperature at which the glass lunar system is fluid must be lower than that of the glass plate. It is possible to use a glass plate system with a Tg〇 of 650 degrees Celsius.

S 15 201218778 In any case the Tgx of the glass spheres 68 or glass paste balls must be lower than the Tgo of the glass sheets. Figure 6D shows a mold core 70 having a bottom surface shaped like the desired top surface of the upper half lens that is introduced into the cylindrical bore 62 of the template 60 and thus axially aligned with the cylindrical bore 62. The temperature of the combination is raised above the higher Tgx' but lower than Tgo, and the core 70 is extruded onto the glass balls 68 or glass paste balls. The pressure on the core 70 imparts the desired shape to the upper half lens; the temperature of the combination is then lowered in a process similar to that described above. Figure 6E shows a cross section of the completed lens array, wherein the glass ball 68 made of a suitable glass material has been formed into the first semi-lens of each lens, and wherein the glass plate 52 is low A portion of the first semi-lens forms a second semi-lens of each lens. The lens array is then preferably annealed as described above. It is of course possible to use one of the processes described above to make an array of a large number of lenses, whether it is intended to be subsequently divided into an array of N lenses or used to a corresponding one of the sub-sensors. Sensor array. In such an application, a complete wafer of image sensors is covered by a lens array of the same size with appropriate mechanical spacing between the wafer and the lens array. Figures 7A through 7C illustrate a process such as that illustrated in Figures 6A through 6E, but wherein a flat interface is desired between the second/second half lenses. In this case, the groove 66 is not formed. As far as the actual situation is concerned, the 7A to 7C drawings illustrate the features as shown in Figs. 6C to 6E. 16 201218778 In a lens array according to an embodiment of the present invention, such as illustrated in FIG. 3, a lens must focus light on the red sub-sensor, and a lens focuses light in the blue sub-sensing And the two lenses are focused on the green sub-sensor. As mentioned above, all lens systems preferably have nearly identical optical performance and characteristics, very close geometrical differences and very close chromatic aberrations, and the same BFL. Figure 8 illustrates a single lens 8 of a lens array in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention having a flat interface 82 between a first half lens 84 and a second half lens 86 thereof. The first semi-lens 84 is understood to be a material having a refractive index. The axis curvature is equal to i/R. The distance from the apex of the curved surface to the interface 82 with the second semi-lens 86 (made in the glass plate 52, made of a material having a refractive index Nb) is d. The thickness of the glass plate 52 is τ. The lenses (first and second semi-lenses) are immersed in a refractive index Nc & media. The focal length after a lens (including the first and second semi-lenses) is represented by the following equation: BFL = R.Nc/(Na-Nc)-D.Nc/Na-T.Nc/Nb (2) 3 The rear focal length BFL is the distance between the object side of the glass plate and the object focus of the system. Furthermore, the focal length of the lens is expressed by the following formula: F = R. Nc / (Na - Nc) (3) Generally, the refractive index medium is air, so Nc = 1. (Refer to *Warren J. Smith and MacGraw Hill, pub. 17 201218778, ''Modern 〇pticalEngineering', Chapter 2, Definition of Back Focal Length and Method of Calculating It) According to an embodiment of the present invention, There are two cases in a lens array that can be expected: (a) For all lenses, the BFL should be the same (b) - a common focal length is selected for the module using equation (1), which takes into account The dimensions of the secondary sensors are selected along with the desired resolution and the visible region of the lens. When the focal length is determined solely by R and the refractive indices Na and Nc, the elastically adjustable scale-lens The focal length 'in order to have a similar geometric deviation to the lens, R - need to be noticed to be close to all lenses. According to one embodiment of the invention, one of the $ 5% of the lens The yaw system of R is considered to not cause geometric deviation == different reference. The lens described in Fig. 8 t, the process of the desired feature of the (four) lens array can be: This slope must have one (1) Decided to use the common type of glass type Tg' The ground system is higher than 65 degrees Celsius. The limitation of R of half of the lens, and (2) determines that the (corresponding to) one of the primary colors can be seen from the foregoing. The choice of the type of glass considers Tg such as cost. (3) Next, determine the radius and refractive index corresponding to the first-half lens of other primary colors to satisfy the financial formulas (2) and (3), and must consider that ^^^ must be at about 5% Within the range of (and preferably 1%). For each color, the glass used to share the board is selected. 18 201218778 The value of the rate of incidence Nb is fixed, hereinafter referred to as NcommonGreen,

NcommonRed, NcommonBlue. Next, for the three lenses, there are 3 unknowns: R, D, and N; or a total of 9 unknowns, because there are 3 equations of this form: BFL = R.Nc/(Na- Nc) - D .Nc/Na - T.Nc/Nb where Nc = 1 (when the lens system is immersed in air)' and the BFL is the same as the T system for the three lenses. Then for the red, green and blue lenses, the following equation is used: BFL = Rred/(N1 Red — 1) — D/N1 Red — T/NcommonRed BFL = Rgreen/(N2Green— 1) — D/N2Green — T/NcommonGreen BFL = Rblue/(N3Blue-1) — D/N3Blue — T/NcommonBlue where: N1 Red is the refractive index of the red selected for the glass corresponding to the lens of the red sensor; N2Green The refractive index of the green selected for the glass corresponding to the lens of the green sensor; N3Blue is the refractive index of the blue selected for the lens corresponding to the lens of the blue sensor ; T is the thickness of the glass plate on which the four lenses are molded;

NcommonRed, NcommonGreen, and NcommonBlue are the refractive indices of the glass selected for the glass sheet in red, green, and blue, respectively.

S 19 201218778 It should be noted that the first term R.Nc/(Na - Nc) of each formula is the focal length of the corresponding lens, which is chosen such that the focal lengths of all lenses are the same 'it indicates that once this focal length The system is selected for the primary color, as described above, then the value of this item is known. In order to subsequently adjust the BFL of each lens, the remaining variable is the thickness D of the first half of the lens. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, for a lens array such as that illustrated in FIG. 8, the glass selected for the glass sheet is a glass of the known trade name SchottN_LASF31A having a Tg of 719 degrees Celsius. The refractive index in the standardized red helium Nr, yellow helium Nd and blue mercury Ng is:

Nd=1.883 Nr=1.873 Ng=1.9l〇 The thickness T of the plate is 0.3 mm. The focal length of the lens such as the first and second half lenses is 25 mm. The thickness D of the first half lens is about 1 mm. According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the glass system selected for the red sub-sensor first-half lens is known as quotient % S ch 〇 11 NPK51 having a Tg of 487 degrees Celsius and Has a refractive index in red:

Nr=1.525 F=2.5mm 20 201218778

Rred=2.5x (1.525-1)=1.312mm The first half lens has a thickness of D=lmm, and then the BFL is sufficiently determined: BFL=2.5-1/1.525-0.3/1.883=1.68mm according to the invention In a preferred embodiment, the glass system selected for the first half lens of the green sub-sensor is known as the trade name Schott NPK52A; it has a Tg of 467 degrees Celsius and a refractive index in green Nd=1.497. It has the same 2.5mm focal length as above,

Rgreen = 2.5x (l.497-1) = 1.24, which is in the range of -h/ - 5% compared to the radius of the first half of the lens used for the red sensor. When there is 1.68mm of the same BFL, 2.5mm of the same F, and a glass plate with a green rate of 1.838, it can obtain: 1.68=2.5-D/1.497-0.3/1.883 which can be calculated immediately D=0.988 In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the glass selected for the first half lens of the blue sub-sensor is a glass of the known trade name Schott NPK51, as used for the red sensor. The refractive index of the blue is Ng=l.537 with the same calculation as above, and keeping F=2.5mm, it is obtained:

Rblue = 2.5x (1.571 - 1) = 1.34 mm, which falls appropriately within the desired range, and D = 1.01 mm. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of these is determined

S 21 201218778 The half-lens of the sub-lens has a shaft radius and thickness, which can be selected to have a lens of the same BFL, and can give a better focus on the pulse color, green and blue sensor; When it comes to the limits of radius and focal length. Figure 9 illustrates a single lens of the lens array in accordance with the present invention having a non-flat boundary © 92 between its first-half lens 94 and second half lens %. The composite lens 9G has a radius characterized by a surface of 1 and a half of the interface between the first and second semi-lenses: a refractive index of the glass of the first and second semi-lenses, and the glass plate The thickness T on the shaft is as shown in Fig. 9. The calculation of the focal length is complex with the BFL equation, but the principle of the calculation is the same as in the previous case. The same method can be employed by assuming that the interface system for all lenses has the same half = problem, thus having the same number of equations and quantities as the previous case. If you do not use such simplification, you will have 3 more variables and a large number of unknown solutions. However, as can be seen from the above, the flat: face lens system allows to solve most of the actual case calculations. "The invention has been described with respect to a lens module having four monochromatic image sensors that provide a wealth of image-based lenses. However, familiar with this The skilled artisan will understand that the present invention may comprise any number of monochromatic sensing Hs each connected to a lens, or even any number of two-color sensors each connected to a lens, without the difficulty. In the present specification, the expression of an object, the same image, means that an image has the same image as the same image. Size and same sharpness. According to one embodiment of the invention, each monochrome image sensor preferably comprises the same number of pixels. The present invention is described with respect to a monochrome sensor having the same dimensions, Is attached to a lens that is provided to form the same image on each sensor. However, embodiments of the present invention also provide for a monochrome sensor having different dimensions, for example having A sensory benefit of a predetermined ratio of pixels of different dimensions is coupled to a lens that is provided for forming images of different scale dimensions on the sensors. A sensor. Preferably, the parallel to the sensing Further, as described above, the secondary sensor of the monochrome sensor can include additional pixels for correcting the position of the image formed on the secondary sensor. According to a specific embodiment, the at least three senses are selected. The position of the detector - as a reference == table is called (4) the position of the ship must be wide 'by this, the correction pixel of no meal needs to be provided as the vertical edge of the pixel of the reference secondary edge)

The pattern system used in the solution of the image contains the edge of the edge of the pixel of the device (ie, for having a vertical edge, -)' and the pattern system is disposed away from the optics such that it is on the sensor The image of the pattern object is an integer of the pixel of the sensor according to which part of the invention.

23 Detector which _ plus eight

S 201218778 is determined, for example, by determining which portion of the respective monochrome image sensor forms the same predetermined pattern from a predetermined pattern object, the module providing a means for aligning the image, which is The image is aligned by automatically correcting a single read address transmitted to the module and corresponding to a predetermined portion of the image as the exact address of the portion of the respective image sensor that receives the predetermined image portion. Alternatively, the module can be provided for determining and storing information on how the address system must be changed, the address being in compliance with one of the image sensors, such as the reference sub-sensor A predetermined image portion, and the address must be changed to conform to the same predetermined image portion in the other image sensor/sub-sensor. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates a Bayer pattern of a sensor pixel array. FIG. 2 is a projection view of a sensor according to one embodiment of the present invention. . Figure 3 is a projection of a lens array that is provided for use with the sensor of Figure 2. Figure 4 is a projection view showing three components of a module including a sensor of Figure 2 and a lens array of Figure 3, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5A is a projection view of a glass sheet suitable for use in the fabrication of the lens array of Figure 3. Figure 5B is a cross section of the glass sheet of Figure 5A. 24 201218778 Sections 6A through 6E illustrate the steps of fabricating a particular embodiment of a lens array as shown in Figure 3, which uses the glass sheets of Figures 5A through 5B. Figures 7A through 7C illustrate the steps of fabricating another embodiment of a lens array as shown in Figure 3. Figure 8 is a cross section of a lens of one embodiment of a lens array as shown in Figure 3. Figure 9 is a cross section of a lens of another embodiment of a lens array as shown in Figure 3.

S [Description of main component symbols] 30...lens 68...glass ball 40...lens holder 70...mold core 42···hole 80...single lens 44...sensor 82...flat interface 46...sub-sensor 84· · First half lens 48...Lens array 86...Second half mirror 50...Lens 90...Single lens 52...Glass plate 92... Non-flat interface 54··· Groove 94...First half lens 56... Optical axis 96... Second half lens 60...template D...thickness 60...tool Na···refractive index 62...cylindrical hole Nb...refractive index 62...glass plate Nc...refractive index 64...mold core T...thickness 66···groove 25

Claims (1)

201218778 VII. Patent Application Range: 1. An optical module comprising: at least three monochromatic image sensors, each sensitive to a different wavelength; and the same number of lenses as the image sensor, each lens system connected And a respective image sensor; wherein each lens is provided to form an identical image of an object disposed in front of the module to the image sensor connected to the lens. 2. The optical module of claim 1, wherein the image sensors are coplanar, the lenses are coplanar, and wherein the axes of the lenses are radius, thickness and refractive index It is selected such that the lenses have an identical back focus. 3. The optical module of claim 2, wherein the lenses are formed on a common transparent plate. 4. The optical module of claim 3, wherein the lens and the plate are made of glass. </ RTI> 5. The optical module of claim 3, wherein the lens is formed in a recess of the transparent plate. 6. The optical module of any of the preceding claims, wherein each of the monochrome image sensors comprises a pair of monochromatic light sensitive pixel arrays. 7. The optical module of any of the preceding claims, wherein the at least three monochromatic image sensors comprise a sensor that is sensitive to red light, a sensor that is sensitive to blue light, and a pair Green light sensitive sensor. 8. The optical module according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the at least three image sensors comprise a sensor sensitive to red light and a sensing light sensitive to blue light. And two sensors that are sensitive to green light. A system comprising: an optical module according to any one of the preceding claims; and means for aligning images imaged by each of the monochromatic image sensors. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the means for aligning the image comprises: determining a predetermined pattern in an image of a predetermined pattern object on each of the monochrome image sensors And means for determining which portion of the respective monochrome image sensor the same predetermined pattern is formed on. 11. The system of claim 9 or 10, wherein the means for aligning the image sensed by each of the monochrome image sensors comprises how the address must be changed for storing the address The device of the information conforms to a predetermined portion of the image in one of the image sensors, and the address must be altered to conform to the same predetermined image in the other image sensors. 12. A method of fabricating an optical module, comprising: providing at least three separate monochrome image sensors each responsive to a different wavelength; and connecting a respective lens to each image sensor Each lens system is provided to form an identical image S 27 201218778 of an object disposed in front of the module to the image sensor connected to the lens. 13. The method of claim 12, comprising providing a coplanar image sensor and providing a lens formed on a common transparent plate. 14. The method of any one of claims 12 to 13, further comprising: forming an image of a predetermined pattern object on each of the sensors; determining the same predetermined pattern from the predetermined pattern object Which portion of the respective monochrome image sensor is formed; and information for determining and storing how the address system must be changed, the address conforming to a predetermined image portion in one of the image sensors, and The address must be changed to match the same predetermined image in other image sensors. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the image of the predetermined pattern object is formed on each of the sensors comprises: using a predetermined pattern object, the object system having an edge parallel to the pixel of the sensor The edges of the pattern are arranged at a distance from the optical module such that the dimensions of the image of the pattern object on the sensors are equal to the integers of the pixels of the sensors. 28