TOMBO sensor with scene-independent superresolution processing

One approach to flat sensor design is to use a lenslet array to form multiple subimages of a scene and then combine the subimages to recover a fully sampled image by using a superresolution algorithm. Previously, superresolution image assembly has been based on information derived from the observed scene. For lenslet arrays, we propose a new scene-independent approach based only on known imager properties in which relative subimage shifts are accurately estimated with a calibration procedure using point source imaging. Thus, the relative resolution enhancement provided by the scene-independent superresolution algorithm is impervious to changes in subimage content, contrast, sharpness, and noise. (c) 2007 Optical Society of America.