Multifunctional optical sensor comprising a photodetectors matrix coupled to a microlenses matrix

Abstract

Multifunctional optical sensor, comprising a matrix of photodetectors of the CCD or CMOS type, having a sensitive area divided into sub-areas, each of which, individually or combined with others, is dedicated to a specific function of monitoring the scene or measuring environmental parameters. The optical sensor comprises a matrix of microlenses, each of which is set to focus the radiation coming from a portion of solid angle on the associated photodetector or cluster of mutually contiguous photodetectors. Each function is associated to a single microlens or to a single subgroup of mutually contiguous microlenses or to multiple, not mutually contiguous microlenses or to multiple, not mutually contiguous subgroups of microlenses. The angular separation between the central directions of the portions of solid angle subtended by adjacent photodetectors or adjacent clusters of photodetectors is not constant within the matrix.

1 . A multifunctional optical sensor, comprising a matrix of photodetectors of the CCD or CMOS type, having a sensitive area divided into sub-areas, each of which, individually or combined with others, is dedicated to a specific function of monitoring the scene observed by the sensor or measuring environmental parameters, wherein
 said optical sensor comprising a matrix of microlenses, each microlens being set to focus radiation coming from a portion of solid angle field of view on the associated photodetector or cluster of mutually contiguous photodetectors,   each function is associated to a single microlens or to a single subgroup of mutually contiguous microlenses or to multiple, not mutually contiguous microlenses or to not mutually contiguous subgroups of microlenses,   the contiguous photodetectors able to be associated to a function defining a sub-area, which is a region of interest (ROI), and   the angular separation between the central directions of the portions of solid angle subtended by adjacent photodetectors or adjacent clusters of photodetectors is not constant within the matrix, wherein the not constant angular displacement is provided by the sensor comprising a matrix of diaphragms being positioned between the photodetectors matrix and the microlenses matrix, the distances between the centres of the diaphragms being equal to the dimensions of the microlenses, and the microlenses being centred on a respective photodetector or cluster of photodetectors, each microlens being designed in such a way as to select for each photodetector or cluster of photodetectors a portion of the solid angle subtended by each microlens.   
   
   
       2 . The optical sensor as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said microlenses are designed with optical solutions of the refractive kind, with total internal reflection, reflexive or a combination of the above. 
   
   
       3 . A multifunctional optical sensor, comprising a matrix of photodetectors of the CCD or CMOS type, having a sensitive area divided into sub-areas, each of which, individually or combined with others, is dedicated to a specific function of monitoring the scene observed by the sensor or measuring environmental parameters, wherein
 said optical sensor comprising a matrix of microlenses, each microlens being set to focus radiation coming from a portion of solid angle field of view on the associated photodetector or cluster of mutually contiguous photodetectors,   each function is associated to a single microlens or to a single subgroup of mutually contiguous microlenses or to multiple, not mutually contiguous microlenses or to not mutually contiguous subgroups of microlenses,   the contiguous photodetectors able to be associated to a function defining a sub-area, which is a region of interest (ROI), and   the angular separation between the central directions of the portions of solid angle subtended by adjacent photodetectors or adjacent clusters of photodetectors is not constant within the matrix, wherein the not constant angular displacement is provided by the sensor comprising a matrix of diaphragms being positioned between the photodetectors matrix and the microlenses matrix, the distances between the centres of the diaphragms being different from the dimensions of the microlenses, the microlenses being a matrix associated to a respective photodetector or group of photodetectors and related diaphragms, the microobjectives allowing to vary effective focal length while maintaining the back focal length and thereby allow for a non-constant separation between the central directions.   
   
   
       4 . A multifunctional optical sensor, comprising a matrix of photodetectors of the CCD or CMOS type, having a sensitive area divided into sub-areas, each of which, individually or combined with others, is dedicated to a specific function of monitoring the scene observed by the sensor or measuring environmental parameters, wherein
 said optical sensor comprising a matrix of microlenses, each microlens being set to focus radiation coming from a portion of solid angle field of view on the associated photodetector or cluster of mutually contiguous photodetectors,   each function is associated to a single microlens or to a single subgroup of mutually contiguous microlenses or to multiple, not mutually contiguous microlenses or to not mutually contiguous subgroups of microlenses,   the contiguous photodetectors able to be associated to a function defining a sub-area, which is a region of interest (ROI), and   the angular separation between the central directions of the portions of solid angle subtended by adjacent photodetectors or adjacent clusters of photodetectors is not constant within the matrix, wherein the not constant angular displacement is provided by said sensor not comprising a matrix of diaphragms and the matrix of photodetectors being a high resolution matrix including active photodetectors and inactive photodetectors, the active photodetectors defining the central direction of the field of view subtended by a respective microlens.