Systems and methods for performing post capture refocus using images captured by camera arrays

A camera array configured to simulate reduction in depth of field in images captured by the camera array, comprising:na plurality of cameras configured to capture images of a scene, where each camera comprises:noptics comprising at least one lens element and at least one aperture; anda sensor comprising a two dimensional array of pixels and control circuitry for controlling imaging parameters; andat least one spectral filter located within the camera, where each spectral filter is configured to pass a specific spectral band of light;a controller configured to control operation parameters of the plurality of cameras; andan image processing pipeline module;wherein the image processing pipeline module comprises a parallax confirmation and measurement module configured to measure parallax using images captured by the plurality of cameras and generate a depth map using the measured parallax;wherein the image processing pipeline is configured to select at least one distance as an “in best focus†distance and blur an image produced by the camera array based upon estimated distance information.

A camera array configured to simulate reduction in depth of field in images captured by the camera array, comprising:na plurality of cameras configured to capture images of a scene, where each camera is formed on a separate semiconductor substrate and comprises:noptics comprising at least one lens element and at least one aperture; anda sensor comprising a two dimensional array of pixels and control circuitry for controlling imaging parameters; andat least one spectral filter located within the camera, where each spectral filter is configured to pass a specific spectral band of light;a controller configured to control operation parameters of the plurality of cameras; andan image processing pipeline module;wherein the plurality of cameras comprises at least one camera having a first set of imaging characteristics and at least one camera having a second set of imaging characteristics;wherein cameras having different imaging characteristics have different effective resolutions;wherein the image processing pipeline module comprises a parallax confirmation and measurement module configured to measure parallax using images captured by the plurality of cameras and generate a depth map using the measured parallax; andwherein the image processing pipeline is configured to select at least one distance as an “in best focus†distance and blur an image produced by the camera array based upon estimated distance information.

A camera array configured to simulate reduction in depth of field in images captured by the camera array, comprising:na monolithic integrated module forming a plurality of cameras, where each camera comprises:na lens element array forming the optics of each of the plurality of cameras, where the optics of each camera comprises at least one lens element and at least one aperture; anda single semiconductor substrate on which all of the pixels and control circuitry for each camera are formed; andat least one spectral filter located within each camera, where each spectral filter is configured to pass a specific spectral band of light;a controller configured to control operation parameters of the plurality of cameras; andan image processing pipeline module;wherein the plurality of cameras comprises at least one camera having a first set of imaging characteristics and at least one camera having a second set of imaging characteristics;wherein cameras having different imaging characteristics have different effective resolutions;wherein the image processing pipeline module comprises a parallax confirmation and measurement module configured to measure parallax using images captured by the plurality of cameras and generate a depth map using the measured parallax; andwherein the image processing pipeline is configured to select at least one distance as an “in best focus†distance and blur an image produced by the camera array based upon estimated distance information.