Abstract: Embodiments include an apparatus comprising a mobile computing device comprising a camera, and a mount removably attached with the mobile computing device to arrange the camera in a first position. The mount comprises a first surface, and two reflective elements spaced apart from each other and having a predefined disposition relative to the first position. The two reflective elements comprise respective convex surfaces extending from the first surface, the respective convex surfaces providing respective optical paths between an object and the camera.

Abstract: An HUD (Head-Up Display) control apparatus may include: a distance detector configured to detect a distance to an obstacle in front of a vehicle; and a controller configured to adjust a virtual image formation position of HUD information to a closer position in response to the distance, when the obstacle is located at a closer position than a virtual image formation position in a specific range designed in an HUD.

Abstract: A depth estimating image capture device includes: an image sensor; an optical lens; a light-transmitting member arranged on the plane; and a signal processing section. The member includes a first mirror inside to reflect the light at least partially and a second mirror with the same reflection property as the first mirror on its upper surface. The first mirror has a reflective surface tilted with respect to the upper surface of the member. The second mirror has a reflective surface that is parallel to the upper surface. The first and second mirrors and are arranged so that a light beam coming from a point on a subject through the lens is reflected from the first mirror and from the second mirror and irradiates some area on an image capturing plane to make the irradiated area change according to the depth of the point on the subject.

Abstract: Aspects relate to an array camera exhibiting little or no parallax artifacts in captured images. For example, the planes of the central mirror prism of the array camera can intersect at an apex defining the vertical axis of symmetry of the system. The apex can serve as a point of intersection for the optical axes of the sensors in the array. Each sensor in the array “sees” a portion of the image scene using a corresponding facet of the central mirror prism, and accordingly each individual sensor/mirror pair represents only a sub-aperture of the total array camera. The complete array camera has a synthetic aperture generated based on the sum of all individual aperture rays.

Abstract: A stereoscopic 3-D imaging apparatus has a camera and a wedged optical component attachable to the front of the camera. The wedged optical component is rotatable around the front of the camera using a rotating device, and the rotating device controls the rotation speed of the wedged optical component. The camera is capable of capturing stereoscopic 3-D images, resulting in lower costs and a simple capture process.

Abstract: A multi-view image system that includes a single camera configured to capture an image, and a transreflective device. The transreflective device is operable to a transparent-state where light passes through the transreflective device to provide the camera a first image of an area from a first perspective. The transreflective device is also operable to a reflective-state where light is reflected by the transreflective device to provide the camera a second image of the area from a second perspective distinct from the first perspective. The system may also include a minor arrangement that cooperates with the transreflective device to provide the camera the first image when the transreflective device is in the transparent-state, and the second image when the transreflective device in in the reflective-state.

Abstract: A single-lens two-channel reflector providing the capability to switch between two-dimensional and three-dimensional imaging is provided. The reflector includes displaceable outward reflectors and displaceable inward reflectors that can simultaneously provide left and right images of a scene to an imager, and controllers for controlling relative distance between the outward and the inward reflectors, and for controlling deflection angle of the inward reflectors, so as to enable the adjustment of disparity and convergence angle. Imaging systems and methods for capturing two-dimensional and three-dimensional images are provided also.

Abstract: A focusing mount includes a focusing frame fixed to a focus tube with at least one lens having an optical axis which is connected to a constraining frame by prismatic joints for enabling movement of the focusing mount along the optical axis without any twisting, lateral, rotational or swing movements.

Abstract: The present invention provides a mobile camera optical lens system which assures a wide view angle by dividing a view angle into two or more view angles, and simultaneously achieves the thinness of the mobile camera optical lens system by providing separate off-axis lens systems respectively corresponding to the split view angles.

Abstract: An optical lens system of a mobile camera is provided. The lens optical system includes: an optical lens in which bilaterally symmetrical off-axis lens systems corresponding to the divided view angles are integrally formed and arranged in parallel on the same plane, the optical beams incident at the divided view angles being transmitted through the respective off-axis lens systems; and an image sensor for receiving the optical beams transmitted through the off-axis lens systems, the image sensor being bisected into a green light receiving region and a mixed light receiving region of red and blue colors. Accordingly, the mega resolution can be achieved using the optical lens having the height of VGA grade. Moreover, as the whole length of the optical lens system in the mega optical system is greatly reduced, the camera optical system can have the slim profile.

Abstract: The invention relates to a stereo imager that is reduced in the number of members, favorable in view of cost and less susceptible to variations from optical system to optical system. The stereo imager comprises a single image pickup device 4 and a stereo imaging optical system including bending member 21L, 21R, 22L and 22R for bending parallactic light beams from a subject and adapted to form on the single image pickup device 4 at least two parallactic images having mutual parallaxes. The stereo imaging optical system comprises at least one optical member 3 located in front of the single image pickup device 4 and adapted to receive light beams forming at least two parallactic images and have the same optical action or function with respect to each light beam.

Abstract: A vehicle periphery visual recognition system 1 is made up of an image pickup unit 11 for picking up images of image pickup ranges in three directions of the lower area at the front of a vehicle and the left and right side areas at the same time, and a controller 10 for performing image processing of an image signal provided by the image pickup unit 11 and then outputting the signal to a display 15.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing left and right eye images along the axis of a single camera lens (7), the apparatus comprising optical means arranged to provide said left and right eye images (22, 20) as a pair of head-to-head or toe-to-toe images, i.e. with the two images (20, 22) separated by a center line and with either the tops of the two images (20, 22) or the bottoms of the two images (20, 22) adjacent the center line, so that the left and right eye images (22, 20) can be simultaneously recorded onto a single frame of a photographic film or other recording medium.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating a combined image includes a first reflector, a second reflector, a third reflector, and a camera. In some embodiments, one or more of the reflectors may be movable between a first position and a second position. Additionally, the apparatus may change position to alter the target view of the apparatus.

Abstract: A three-dimensional photographing apparatus includes a photographing unit configured to photograph an object from a plurality of viewpoints and a projecting unit configured to project a pattern on the object in photographing. The projecting unit including an optical system having a projection view angle. The projection view angle of the optical system falls within a range where the photographing unit photographs the object and is set so as to project the pattern on an overlapped area which is formed by overlapping photographing spaces capable of photographing the object from the viewpoints.

Abstract: A stereo camera with an automatic convergence adjusting device is provided. A stereo-image is captured by a CCD through a stereo adapter. A fiducial light beam in a plane of symmetry which includes a perpendicular bisector line of a segment between the viewpoints of the right and left parallax images, is projected onto a subject from light-emitting equipment. A fiducial spot produced by the fiducial light beam is imaged on both the right and left parallax images and the image loci of the fiducial spot are detected. The convergence of the stereo adapter is adjusted with reference to the image loci of the fiducial mark.

Abstract: An optical apparatus is arranged to automatically control, on the basis of an object distance, a convergence distance of right and left optical systems arranged to cause right and left optical images having a predetermined amount of parallax to enter a photographing optical system, and has a plurality of modes in which a difference between the convergence distance and the object distance varies.

Abstract: A stereoadapter is mounted in front of an imaging optical system of a camera to photograph a parallax image. An optical system has two light-receiving modules spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance to receive light from the same object. Then, the optical system directs light received by each of the two light-receiving modules to the imaging optical system of the camera. A light-emitting module is provided at a predetermined position associated with the optical system and can emit light for illuminating the object.

Abstract: A stereoscopic image pickup system for obtaining parallactic images includes a pair of front optical components, the pair of front optical components respectively including a pair of reflecting members capable of rotating around respective predetermined axes and having a reflecting function, and a pair of amount-of-light control members arranged to respectively vary amounts of transmission of light fluxes coming from the pair of reflecting members alternately in a time-series manner, an optical member arranged to superpose respective optical axes of the pair of front optical components on each other, a rear optical component having an optical axis coinciding with the superposed optical axes of the pair of front optical components and having a magnification varying function, and a controller for controlling an amount of parallax of parallactic images by using the pair of reflecting members in accordance with a magnification varying operation of the rear optical component.

Abstract: A three-dimensional image-capturing device using a pattern projection method is provided. The device is comprised of a camera and an adapter mounted on the lens barrel of the camera. The first-half area of the camera's CCD captures a pattern image in the invisible range. The second-half area of the CCD captures a texture image in the visible range. The adapter bifurcates the light path of the camera into first and second light paths. A first filter cuts off visible light rays and is disposed in the first light path. A second filter cuts off invisible light rays and is disposed in the second light path. The first and second light paths lead light to the first and second-half areas, respectively. A pattern and texture image are captured simultaneously while a predetermined pattern in the invisible range is projected onto a subject from a pattern projection device of the adapter.

Abstract: An apparatus 1 provides left and right eye images to a conventional camera lens 7 such that the images are recorded by the camera 3 as head-to-head images. The apparatus 1 includes left and right plane mirrors 11, 12 that direct light rays from the left and right images onto respective faces of a triangular prism 9, the triangular prism directing the light rays to the camera lens 7. Alternatively, the apparatus may be incorporated within a camera lens, being located between the front and rear lens group of the camera lens. The plane mirrors 11, 12 can be moved along their image axes, effectively adjusting the interocular distance of the apparatus. The angle which the plane mirrors 11, 12 subtend to each other and to the triangular prism 9 may also be adjusted, thus adjusting the convergence of angle of view of the apparatus.

Abstract: An optical system includes a pair of front optical components, an optical member for superposing respective optical axes of the pair of front optical components on each other, a rear optical component disposed such that the superimposed optical axes coincide with an optical axis of the rear optical component, the rear optical component including a lens unit arranged to move during zooming, and a lens unit arranged to move during focusing and disposed on an object side of the lens unit arranged to move during zooming, and a pair of shutters capable of independently controlling amounts of transmission of light fluxes respectively entering the pair of front optical components from an object. The optical system forms parallactical images in a time-series manner by causing the pair of shutters to alternately change the amounts of transmission of light fluxes respectively entering the pair of front optical components from the object.

Abstract: A three-dimensional image-capturing device using a pattern projection method is provided. The device is comprised of a camera and an adapter mounted on the lens barrel of the camera. The first-half area of the camera's CCD captures a pattern image in the invisible range. The second-half area of the CCD captures a texture image in the visible range. The adapter bifurcates the light path of the camera into first and second light paths. A first filter cuts off visible light rays and is disposed in the first light path. A second filter cuts off invisible light rays and is disposed in the second light path. The first and second light paths lead light to the first and second-half areas, respectively.

Abstract: A stereo camera with an automatic convergence adjusting device is provided. A stereo-image is captured by a CCD through a stereo adapter. A fiducial light beam in a plane of symmetry which includes a perpendicular bisector line of a segment between the viewpoints of the right and left parallax images, is projected onto a subject from light-emitting equipment. A fiducial spot produced by the fiducial light beam is imaged on both the right and left parallax images and the image loci of the fiducial spot are detected. The convergence of the stereo adapter is adjusted with reference to the image loci of the fiducial mark.

Abstract: An optical system is provided with a pair of forward optical components each having a shutter for controlling the amount of transmission of a light from an object, an optical member for laying the optical axes of the pair of forward optical components one upon the other, and a rearward optical component disposed so that the optical axis thereof may coincide with the optical axes laid one upon the other. The optical system alternately varies the amounts of transmission of the light transmitted through the shutters of the pair of forward optical components to thereby time-serially form a parallax image.

Abstract: An optical system for shooting a three-dimensional image and a three-dimensional image shooting apparatus using the optical system produces an image with a smaller amount of light leaked from the side to be cut off over an entire image frame when parallax images are obtained by employing a shutter in which the extinction ratio varies depending on an incident angle. The optical system includes a pair of front optical components each having negative optical power, an optical member for superimposing optical axes of the pair of front optical components with each other, a rear optical component disposed to have an optical axis aligned with the superimposed optical axes, and a shutter capable of independently controlling amounts of transmitted light incident upon the pair of front optical components from an object. The shutter is disposed between the pair of front optical components and the rear optical component.

Abstract: A camera and a method for taking stereophotographic pictures. The camera comprises a camera housing for carrying film, a film placement plate in the camera housing for positioning against a portion of the film to be exposed to ensure precise planar placement of the portion of film while exposed, a lens which is fixed to the camera housing to obtain optical and geometric stability, and at least one reflecting surface on the camera extending essentially parallel to and along a periphery of a linear imaging path from the lens and an object to be photographed, wherein the lens receives a first portion of the optical radiation which emanates directly from the object and produces an actual image of the object on the film and the at least one reflecting surface reflects a second portion of the optical radiation emanating from the object toward the lens and creates a virtual image of the object on the film, the virtual image having an viewing angle of the object different than the actual image.

Abstract: A method of photogrammetry to determine the position of an object in three dimensions using an apparatus for creating a pair of images, and adjusting the overlap of the images by automatically adjusting the convergence of a pair of image gathering means. An adaptor having a set of mirrors is located in front of a camera lens. The outer two mirrors face generally outward along the optical axis of the lens. The centers of the outer two mirrors are spaced apart by an appropriate interocular distance. The convergence of the two outer mirrors is adjustable by swiveling them simultaneously and equally about their centerlines with a ganging mechanism. The apparatus is calibrated by creating a plurality of calibration maps for different distances from the apparatus, each map being related to a given angle of convergence of the mirrors. Then, the apparatus is aimed at a subject, converging the mirrors for maximum overlap.

Abstract: A stereo image forming adapter mounted forwardly of the zoom lens of a camera is provided with a plurality of deflecting members disposed at spacing intervals for deflecting light from an object, and a reflecting member for reflecting light flux from each of the deflecting members toward the zoom lens, the spacing interval between deflecting members is varied in operative association with expansion and contraction of the focal length resulting from zooming of the zoom lens.

Abstract: A stereoscopic camera is provided with a mechanism to move reflective members into and out of an optical path such that the camera may take stereoscopic photographs in one position of the moving mechanism. The camera may also take normal full-frame photographs in a second position of the moving mechanism.