System and method for combining focus bracket images

摘要

Imaging systems may be provided with stacked-chip image sensors and adjustable lens systems. A stacked-chip image sensor may include a vertical chip stack that includes an array of image pixels and processing circuitry. The adjustable lens system may pass light from a scene onto the image pixels at a number of focus positions. The image pixels may capture a focus bracket of image frames at a capture frame rate for light passed by the adjustable lens system at two or more of the focus positions. The processing circuitry may combine a set of image frames in the focus bracket to generate a focused image. The focused image may have one or more portions of the captured scene in focus. The processing circuitry may output the focused image to off-chip image processing circuitry at an output frame rate that is less than the capture frame rate.

主权项

1. A method for operating an imaging system having a stacked-chip image sensor and an adjustable lens system to capture an image of an object in a scene, wherein the stacked-chip image sensor comprises a planar array of image pixels and storage and processing circuitry, the method comprising:
moving at least one lens in the adjustable lens system into a plurality of focus positions while passing light from a scene to the image pixels through the at least one lens; with the image pixels, capturing a focus bracket of image frames while moving the at least one lens; with the storage and processing circuitry, gathering depth map information for the scene by comparing a first image frame in the focus bracket with a second image frame in the focus bracket, wherein gathering the depth map information comprises determining a distance between the object in the scene and the imaging system; and with the storage and processing circuitry, combining a set of image frames from the focus bracket of image frames to generate a focused image based on the gathered depth map information.