Field-of-view enhanced integral imaging with dual prism arrays based on perspective-dependent pixel mapping

Abstract

A field-of-view (FOV)-enhanced integral imaging system is proposed by the combined use of micro-lens array (MLA) and dual-prism array (DPA). The MLA coupled with a DPA virtually function as a new type of the MLA whose FOV is much more increased than that of the original MLA, which enables the capturing of perspective-expanded elemental image arrays (EIAs) of input 3-D scenes and the FOV-enhanced reconstruction of them. For its practical operation, a two-step digital process called perspective-dependent pixel-mapping (PDPM) is also presented. With this PDPM method, picked-up EIAs with a couple of MLAs and DPAs are remapped into the new forms of EIAs to be properly reconstructed in the conventional integral imaging system. Operational performances of the proposed system are ray-optically analyzed. In addition, the feasibility of the proposed system is also confirmed from the computational and optical experiments with test 3-D objects on the implemented prototype. Experimental results finally show a two-times increase of the FOV range of the proposed system when it is compared with that of the conventional system.