Imaging devices operable with multiple aspect ratios

Abstract

Imaging devices including a novel imaging system wherein a 2-dimensional pixel array has a diagonal dimension larger than the diameter measurement of the image circle, thereby being capable of handling rectangular images with multiple aspect ratios. These new imaging devices can be used in various electronic imaging apparatus with or without a lens system.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A device comprising:
 an image sensor capable of providing images from at least two rectangles defined on the image sensor,   the rectangles each having a first side that is perpendicular to a second side,   the first side of each rectangle being parallel to the first side of the other rectangles,   the second side of each rectangle being parallel to the second side of the other rectangles,   a ratio of a length of the first side to a length of the second side being different for each of the rectangles,   each of the rectangles having the first side longer than the second side; and   a lens configured to generate an image circle on the image sensor such that a perimeter of the image circle concurrently contacts each vertex of each one of the rectangles.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the image sensor has a width and a length where the width and the length are both at least equal to a diameter of the image circle. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , further comprising a digital control device configured to:
 select a selected image aspect ratio of different image aspect ratios, the selected image aspect ratio corresponding to a selected rectangle on the image sensor; and   select image data from a subset of pixels of all pixels provided by the image sensor, the subset of pixels contained only within the selected rectangle; and   forward the image data to an image formation device.   
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the digital control device is configured to dynamically define a different image aspect ratio for each new image frame. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a digital control device configured to read and store total image data from all pixels of the image sensor; and   a selection device for selecting selected image data from the total stored image data, the selected image data provided by a subset of pixels of all pixels, the subset of pixels within a selected rectangle corresponding to a selected image aspect ratio of several image aspect ratios.   
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a first one of the at least two rectangles has the ratio of the length of the first side to the length of the second side being 16:9, and
 a second one of the at least two rectangles has the ratio of the length of the first side to the length of the second side being 4:3.   
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a first one of the at least two rectangles has the ratio of the length of the first side to the length of the second side being 16:9, and
 a second one of the at least two rectangles has the ratio of the length of the first side to the length of the second side being 4:3, and   a third one of the at least two rectangles has the ratio of the length of the first side to the length of the second side being 2:1.   
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the perimeter of the image circle crosses a perimeter of the image sensor at eight locations. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the entire image circle is located within the image sensor. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the image sensor has a first side with a length equal to the longest of the first sides and a second side with a length equal to the longest of the second sides. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising electronics for selecting a ratio from the different ratios before formation of an image. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein only pixels used in generating the image are pixels in the rectangle having the selected ratio. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising electronics for selecting a ratio from the different ratios after formation of an image. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein pixels used in generating the image include pixels outside of the rectangle having the selected ratio. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a memory capable of storing images captured by the image sensor.   
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the image sensor has a width and a length where at least one of the width and length is at least equal to a diameter of the image circle. 
     
     
         17 . A device comprising:
 an image sensor capable of providing images from at least two rectangles defined on the image sensor, each rectangle having a length longer than a width and having a length to width ratio different from other rectangles of the at least two rectangles, the lengths of the rectangles being parallel; and   a lens configured to generate an image circle on the image sensor such that a perimeter of the image circle contacts each vertex of each one of the rectangles.   
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the image sensor comprises a 2-dimensional pixel array that has an array width and an array length that are both at least equal to a diameter of the image circle. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 17 , further comprising a digital control device configured to:
 select a selected image aspect ratio of different image aspect ratios, the selected image aspect ratio corresponding to a selected rectangle on the image sensor; and   select image data from a subset of pixels of all pixels provided by the image sensor, the subset of pixels contained only within the selected rectangle; and   forward the image data to an image formation device.   
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a digital control device configured to read and store total image data from all pixels of the image sensor; and   a selection device for selecting selected image data from the total stored image data, the selected image data provided by a subset of pixels of all pixels, the subset of pixels within a selected rectangle corresponding to a selected image aspect ratio of several image aspect ratios.