Vehicle vision system with micro lens array

Abstract

A vehicular vision system includes a camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view. The camera is operable to capture image data. The camera includes a pixelated array of photosensing elements. A lens array may be disposed at the pixelated array of photosensing elements. The lens array includes an array of lens elements for imaging light onto respective sub-arrays of photosensing elements of the pixelated array of photosensing elements. An image processor is operable to process captured image data and, responsive at least in part to image processing of captured image data, the vehicular vision system is operable to determine distance to an object present in the field of view of the camera.

1 . A vehicular vision system, said vehicular vision system comprising:
 a camera disposed at a vehicle and having a field of view, wherein said camera is operable to capture image data, and wherein said camera comprises an imager having a pixelated array of photosensing elements; and   wherein said camera comprises a lens array disposed at said pixelated array of photosensing elements, wherein said lens array comprises an array of lens elements for imaging light onto respective sub-arrays of photosensing elements of said pixelated array of photosensing elements;   an image processor operable to process captured image data; and   wherein, responsive at least in part to image processing of captured image data captured by photosensing elements associated with different lens elements of said lens array, said vehicular vision system is operable to determine distance to an object present in the field of view of said camera.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicular vision system of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of cameras having respective imagers and lens arrays. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicular vision system of  claim 2 , wherein said plurality of cameras and imagers and lens arrays form a light field array. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicular vision system of  claim 3 , wherein said light field array is a type of Stanford light field array. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicular vision system of  claim 3 , wherein, responsive to image processing of captured image data, said image processor acquires depth information of a scene in view of said light field array. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicular vision system of  claim 5 , wherein said image processor processes a depth map of a scene in view of said light field array out of the scene's depth information. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicular vision system of  claim 6 , wherein said depth map comprises an input to a driver assistant system of the vehicle. 
     
     
         8 . The vehicular vision system of  claim 7 , wherein said camera has an exterior field of view exterior of the vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . The vehicular vision system of  claim 5 , wherein said camera has an interior field of view inside a cabin of the vehicle, and wherein said light field depth information is used for an input to at least one of (i) a head tracking system for tracking the head of a driver of the vehicle and (ii) an eye tracking system for tracking the eyes of a driver of the vehicle. 
     
     
         10 . The vehicular vision system of  claim 1 , wherein said lens array comprises at least four lens elements, each for imaging light onto respective sub-arrays of at least about 500,000 photosensing elements. 
     
     
         11 . The vehicular vision system of  claim 10 , wherein said lens array comprises at least four hundred lens elements, each for imaging light onto respective sub-arrays of at least about 5,000 photosensing elements. 
     
     
         12 . The vehicular vision system of  claim 10 , wherein a virtual view point of said camera is adjustable, and wherein said image processor is operable to determine distance to the object present in the exterior field of view of said camera by comparing image data captured at different virtual view points. 
     
     
         13 . The vehicular vision system of  claim 12 , wherein said camera has an interior field of view inside a cabin of the vehicle, and wherein said image processing of captured image data is used for an input to at least one of (i) a head tracking system for tracking the head of a driver of the vehicle and (ii) an eye tracking system for tracking the eyes of a driver of the vehicle. 
     
     
         14 . A vehicular vision system, said vehicular vision system comprising:
 a plurality of cameras disposed at a vehicle and having respective fields of view, wherein said cameras are operable to capture image data, and wherein said cameras each comprise an imager having a pixelated array of photosensing elements; and   an image processor operable to process captured image data;   wherein said plurality of cameras form a Stanford light field array;   wherein, responsive to image processing of captured image data, said image processor acquires depth information of a scene in view of said Stanford light field array;   wherein said image processor processes a depth map of a scene in view of said Stanford light field array out of the scene's depth information; and   wherein said depth map comprises an input to a driver assistant system of the vehicle.   
     
     
         15 . The vehicular vision system of  claim 14 , wherein said camera has an exterior field of view exterior of the vehicle. 
     
     
         16 . The vehicular vision system of  claim 14 , wherein, responsive at least in part to image processing of captured image data captured by said Stanford light field array, said vehicular vision system is operable to determine distance to an object present in the fields of view of said cameras. 
     
     
         17 . The vehicular vision system of  claim 14 , wherein each of said cameras comprises a lens array disposed at said pixelated array of photosensing elements, wherein said lens array comprises an array of lens elements for imaging light onto respective sub-arrays of photosensing elements of said pixelated array of photosensing elements. 
     
     
         18 . A vehicular vision system, said vehicular vision system comprising:
 a camera disposed at a vehicle and having an exterior field of view, wherein said camera is operable to capture image data, and wherein said camera comprises an imager having a pixelated array of photosensing elements; and   wherein said camera comprises a lens array disposed at said pixelated array of photosensing elements, wherein said lens array comprises an array of lens elements for imaging light onto respective sub-arrays of photosensing elements of said pixelated array of photosensing elements;   an image processor operable to process captured image data;   wherein, responsive at least in part to image processing of captured image data captured by photosensing elements associated with different lens elements of said lens array, said vehicular vision system is operable to determine distance to an object present in the exterior field of view of said camera;   wherein a virtual view point of said camera is adjustable, and wherein said image processor, responsive at least in part to image processing of captured image data, is operable to determine distance to the object present in the exterior field of view of said camera by comparing image data captured at different virtual view points.   
     
     
         19 . The vehicular vision system of  claim 18 , comprising a plurality of cameras having respective pixelated arrays of photosensing elements and lens arrays, wherein said plurality of cameras and imagers and lens arrays form a Stanford light field array. 
     
     
         20 . The vehicular vision system of  claim 18 , wherein, responsive to image processing of captured image data, said image processor at least one of (i) acquires depth information of a scene in view of said camera and (ii) acquires depth information of a scene in view of said camera and wherein said image processor processes a depth map of a scene in view of said camera out of the scene's depth information.