Analysis of Disparity Information for Depth Extraction Using CMOS Image Sensor with Offset Pixel Aperture Technique

A complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor (CIS), using offset pixel aperture (OPA) technique, was designed and fabricated using the 0.11-µm CIS process. In conventional cameras, an aperture is located on the camera lens. However, in a CIS camera using OPA technique, apertures are integrated as left-offset pixel apertures (LOPAs) and right-offset pixel apertures (ROPAs). A color pattern is built, comprising LOPA, blue, red, green, and ROPA pixels. The disparity information can be acquired from the LOPA and ROPA channels. Both disparity information and two-dimensional (2D) color information can be simultaneously acquired from the LOPA, blue, red, green, and ROPA channels. A geometric model of the OPA technique is constructed to estimate the disparity of the image, and the measurement results are compared with the estimated results. Depth extraction is thus achieved by a single CIS using the OPA technique, which can be easily adapted to commercial CIS cameras.