Design and fabrication process for a lens system optically coupled to an image-capture device

• US 20040263994A1
• Filed: 02/19/2004
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michel Sayag
• Original Assignee: Michel Sayag
• Inventors: Sayag, Michel
• Granted Patent: US 6,950,242 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/664
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/005 having spherical lenses only
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/0055 employing a special optical element
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/24 for reproducing or copying at short object distances
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/027 the lens being in the form of a sphere or ball
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 9/06 two + components
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/134 based on three different wavelength filter elements

Abstract

An optical system operable to transmit an energy flux is described. A first substantially spherical lens includes first and second substantially hemispherical portions joined at an interface. The interface includes a partially reflective material on a first substantially planar surface of at least one of the first and second hemispherical portions. A second lens has a convex surface and a second substantially planar surface. A portion of the second substantially planar surface of the second lens is secured to the first lens to form an optical axis. The first and second lenses are operable to transmit a first portion of the energy flux along the optical axis. The partially reflective surface is operable to reflect a second portion of the energy flux at an angle to the optical axis.

Claims

1. An optical system operable to transmit an energy flux, comprising:

a first substantially spherical lens comprising first and second substantially hemispherical portions joined at an interface, the interface including a partially reflective material on a first substantially planar surface of at least one of the first and second hemispherical portions; and

a second lens having a convex surface and a second substantially planar surface;

wherein a portion of the second substantially planar surface of the second lens is secured to the first lens to form an optical axis, the first and second lenses being operable to transmit a first portion of the energy flux along the optical axis, and wherein the partially reflective surface is operable to reflect a second portion of the energy flux at an angle to the optical axis.

2. The optical system of claim 1 wherein the optical axis includes a first focal plane tangent to the first lens at a first point, and wherein the partially reflective surface is operable to reflect the second portion of the energy flux to a second focal plane tangent to the first lens at a second point.

3. The optical system of claim 1 wherein the angle to the optical axis is approximately 90 degrees.

4. The optical system of claim 1 wherein the second lens is secured to the first lens with a first bonding material which is substantially transparent.

5. The optical system of claim 4 wherein the first and second portions of the first lens are characterized by a first index of refraction, the second lens is characterized by a second index of refraction, and the first bonding material is characterized by a third index of refraction which is greater than either of the first and second indices of refraction.

6. The optical system of claim 1 wherein the second substantially planar surface of the second lens is in direct contact with the first lens.

7. The optical system of claim 1 wherein the partially reflective material comprises a dichroic coating which separates the energy flux into first and second channels corresponding to the first and second portions of the energy flux.

8. The optical system of claim 7 wherein the energy flux comprises visible light, and the first and second channels correspond to a green channel and a magenta channel.

9. The optical system of claim 7 wherein the energy flux comprises visible light having an attenuated green channel, and the first and second channels correspond to a luminance channel and a magenta channel.

10. The optical system of claim 1 wherein the partially reflective material is characterized by a neutral density such that a ratio of the first and second portions of the energy flux is substantially constant across a spectrum associated with the energy flux.

11. The optical system of claim 10 wherein the first and second portions of the energy flux are substantially equal across the spectrum.

12. The optical system of claim 1 wherein a thickness of the second lens is selected to cause light transmitted by the optical system to focus on a focal plane normal to the optical axis and tangent to the first lens.

13. The optical system of claim 1 wherein a thickness of the second lens is selected to cause a paraxial focal point of light transmitted by the optical system to be positioned proximate a surface of the first lens.

14. The optical system of claim 1 wherein the second lens is substantially hemispherical in shape.

15. The optical system of claim 1 wherein the first and second portions of the first lens are formed of a material selected from the group comprising true glass, quartz, rutile, ruby and fused silica.

16. The optical system of claim 1 wherein the second lens is formed of a material selected from the group comprising true glass, quartz, rutile, ruby and fused silica.

17. The optical system of claim 1 further comprising a first image capture device coupled to the first lens and configured for receiving the first portion of the energy flux, and a second image capture device coupled to the first lens and configured for receiving the second portion of the energy flux.

18. The optical system of claim 17 wherein the first and second image capture devices are in direct contact with the first lens.

19. The optical system of claim 1 wherein the second lens is secured to the first lens with a first bonding material which forms an apodized pupil.

20. The optical system of claim 19 wherein the apodized pupil has different effective apertures for different channels in a spectrum associated with the energy flux.

21. The optical system of claim 20 wherein the energy flux initially comprises visible light, and the apodized pupil has a first effective aperture in a green channel which is narrower than a second effective aperture in a magenta channel.

22. The optical system of claim 21 wherein the first and second effective apertures result in the first portion of the energy flux having a first component in the green channel which is reduced by half relative to a second component of the first portion of the energy flux in the magenta channel.

23. The optical system of claim 20 further comprising a dye in the bonding material which results in the different effective apertures.

24. The optical system of claim 17 wherein the first image capture device is a monochrome device, and the second image capture device comprises color filters to separate multiple color images.

25. The optical system of claim 24 wherein the first image capture device is operable to capture green image data, and the second image capture device is operable to capture blue and red image data.

26. The optical system of claim 25 wherein ratios among the red, green, and blue image data correspond to a standard Bayer color filter pattern.

27. The optical system of claim 24 wherein the first image capture device is operable to capture luminance image data, and the second image capture device is operable to capture blue and red image data.

28. The optical system of claim 17 further comprising a first spacer disposed between the first lens and the first image capture device which is operable to focus the first portion of the energy flux on the first image capture device, and a second spacer disposed between the first lens and the second image capture device which is operable to focus the second portion of the energy flux on the second image capture device.

29. The optical system of claim 1 wherein the first lens has a first radius and the second lens has a second radius, and wherein the first radius is approximately equal to the second radius.

30. The optical system of claim 1 wherein the first lens has a first diameter and the second lens has a second diameter, and wherein the first diameter is approximately twice the second diameter.

64. A camera comprising the optical system of claim 1.

65. A wireless device comprising the camera of claim 64.

31. An optical system operable to transmit an energy flux, comprising:

a first lens having a convex surface and a first substantially planar surface;

a second substantially spherical lens secured to the first substantially planar surface of the first lens to form an optical axis, the first and second lenses being operable to transmit a first portion of the energy flux along the optical axis to a first focal plane tangent to the second lens, the second lens comprising first and second substantially hemispherical portions joined at an interface, the interface including a partially reflective material on a second substantially planar surface of at least one of the first and second hemispherical portions, the partially reflective surface being operable to reflect a second portion of the energy flux at an angle to the optical axis to a second focal plane tangent to the second lens, the first and second focal planes being substantially perpendicular to each other;

a first image capture device coupled to the second lens at the first focal plane and configured for receiving the first portion of the energy flux; and

a second image capture device coupled to the second lens at the second focal plane and configured for receiving the second portion of the energy flux.

32. The optical system of claim 31 wherein the partially reflective material comprises a dichroic coating which separates the energy flux into first and second channels corresponding to the first and second portions of the energy flux.

33. The optical system of claim 32 wherein the energy flux comprises visible light, and the first and second channels correspond to a green channel and a magenta channel.

34. The optical system of claim 32 wherein the energy flux comprises visible light having an attenuated green channel, and the first and second channels correspond to a luminance channel and a magenta channel.

35. The optical system of claim 31 wherein the partially reflective material is characterized by a neutral density such that a ratio of the first and second portions of the energy flux is substantially constant across a spectrum associated with the energy flux.

36. The optical system of claim 35 wherein the first and second portions of the energy flux are substantially equal across the spectrum.

37. The optical system of claim 31 wherein the first lens is substantially hemispherical in shape.

38. The optical system of claim 31 wherein the first and second portions of the second lens are formed of a material selected from the group comprising true glass, quartz, rutile, ruby and fused silica.

39. The optical system of claim 31 wherein the first lens is formed of a material selected from the group comprising true glass, quartz, rutile, ruby and fused silica.

40. The optical system of claim 31 wherein the first lens is secured to the second lens with a bonding material which forms an apodized pupil.

41. The optical system of claim 40 wherein the apodized pupil has different effective apertures for different channels in a spectrum associated with the energy flux.

42. The optical system of claim 41 wherein the energy flux initially comprises visible light, and the apodized pupil has a first effective aperture in a green channel which is narrower than a second effective aperture in a magenta channel.

43. The optical system of claim 42 wherein the first and second effective apertures result in the first portion of the energy flux having a first component in the green channel which is reduced by half relative to a second component of the first portion of the energy flux in the magenta channel.

44. The optical system of claim 41 further comprising a dye in the bonding material which results in the different effective apertures.

45. The optical system of claim 31 wherein the first image capture device is a monochrome device, and the second image capture device comprises color filters to separate multiple color images.

46. The optical system of claim 45 wherein the first image capture device is operable to capture green image data, and the second image capture device is operable to capture blue and red image data.

47. The optical system of claim 46 wherein ratios among the red, green, and blue image data correspond to a standard Bayer color filter pattern.

48. The optical system of claim 45 wherein the first image capture device is operable to capture luminance image data, and the second image capture device is operable to capture blue and red image data.

66. A camera comprising the optical system of claim 31.

67. A wireless device comprising the camera of claim 66.

49. An optical system operable to transmit an energy flux, comprising:

a first substantially hemispherical lens having a first substantially planar surface, the first substantially planar surface having a reflective material thereon; and

a second lens having a convex surface and a second substantially planar surface;

wherein a portion of the second substantially planar surface of the second lens is secured to the first lens to form an optical axis, the first and second lenses being operable to transmit the energy flux along the optical axis, and wherein the reflective surface is operable to reflect at least a portion of the energy flux at an angle to the optical axis.

50. The optical system of claim 49 wherein the reflective surface is operable to reflect the portion of the energy flux to a focal plane tangent to the first lens.

51. The optical system of claim 49 wherein the angle to the optical axis is approximately 90 degrees.

52. The optical system of claim 49 wherein the second lens is secured to the first lens with a first bonding material which is substantially transparent.

53. The optical system of claim 52 wherein the first lens is characterized by a first index of refraction, the second lens is characterized by a second index of refraction, and the first bonding material is characterized by a third index of refraction which is greater than either of the first and second indices of refraction.

54. The optical system of claim 49 wherein the second substantially planar surface of the second lens is in direct contact with the first lens.

55. The optical system of claim 49 wherein the second lens is substantially hemispherical in shape.

56. The optical system of claim 49 wherein the first lens is formed of a material selected from the group comprising true glass, quartz, rutile, ruby and fused silica.

57. The optical system of claim 49 wherein the second lens is formed of a material selected from the group comprising true glass, quartz, rutile, ruby and fused silica.

58. The optical system of claim 49 further comprising an image capture device coupled to the first lens and configured for receiving the reflected portion of the energy flux.

59. The optical system of claim 58 wherein the image capture device is in direct contact with the first lens.

60. The optical system of claim 49 wherein the second lens is secured to the first lens with a first bonding material which forms an apodized pupil.

61. The optical system of claim 60 wherein the apodized pupil has different effective apertures for different channels in a spectrum associated with the energy flux.

62. The optical system of claim 58 wherein the image capture device comprises at least one of a monochrome device and color filters to separate multiple color images.

63. The optical system of claim 58 further comprising a spacer disposed between the first lens and the image capture device which is operable to focus the reflected portion of the energy flux on the image capture device.

68. A camera comprising the optical system of claim 49.

69. A wireless device comprising the camera of claim 68.