BINOCULARS WITH MICROMIRROR ARRAY LENSES

• US 20090237783A1
• Filed: 03/18/2008
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stereo D Inc., Stereo Display, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Angstrom, Inc., Stereo Display, Inc.
• Inventors: Seo, Cheong Soo, Cho, Gyoung Il, Kim, Hye Young, Sohn, Jin Young
• Granted Patent: US 8,810,908 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/407
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/00 Telescopes, e.g. binoculars; Periscopes; Instruments for viewing the inside of hollow bodies; Viewfinders; Optical aiming or sighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/02 involving prisms or mirrors G02B23/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/12 with means for image conversion or intensification
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0833 the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/08 Mirrors vehicle mirrors involving special optical features B60R1/08

Abstract

The binoculars of the present invention comprise two optical units; one optical unit for each eye. Each optical unit comprises a first reflective lens element and a second reflective lens element, wherein at least one of the reflective lens elements is a Micromirror Array Lens. The binoculars of the present invention provide focusing and/or zoom functions without or with minimal macroscopic mechanical lens movement.

Claims

1. A pair of binoculars with Micromirror Array Lens comprising two optical units, wherein each of the optical units comprises a first reflective lens element disposed to reflect light from object and a second reflective lens element disposed to reflect the light reflected from the first reflective lens element to eye side, wherein at least one of the reflective lens elements is a Micromirror Array Lens comprising a plurality of micromirrors, wherein each micromirror in the Micromirror Array Lens is configured to have a plurality of motions, wherein the Micromirror Array Lens is configured to have a plurality of optical surface profiles by controlling the motions of the micromirrors.

2. The binoculars with Micromirror Array Lens of claim 1, wherein each micromirror in the Micromirror Array Lenses is configured to have rotational motion and translational motion.

3. The binoculars with Micromirror Array Lens of claim 1, wherein each optical surface profile of the Micromirror Array Lens reproduces a reflective optical surface with a predetermined optical property.

4. The binoculars with Micromirror Array Lens of claim 3, wherein each optical surface profile of the Micromirror Array Lens satisfies convergence condition and phase matching condition.

5. The binoculars with Micromirror Array Lens claim 1, wherein each of the optical units comprises an objective lens or lens group disposed to the object side.

6. The binoculars with Micromirror Array Lens of claim 5, wherein the objective lens group comprises at least one movable lens working as a variator to change magnification of the optical unit by changing position of the movable lens.

7. The binoculars with Micromirror Array Lens of claim 5, wherein the objective lens group comprises at least one movable lens working as a compensator to maintain focus of the optical unit by changing position of the movable lens.

8. The binoculars with Micromirror Array Lens of claim 5, wherein the objective lens group comprises at least one variable focus lens working as a variator to change magnification of the optical unit by changing the focal length of the variable focus lens.

9. The binoculars with Micromirror Array Lens of claim 5, wherein the objective lens group comprises at least one variable focus lens working as a compensator to maintain focus of the optical unit by changing the focal length of the variable focus lens.

10. The binoculars with Micromirror Array Lens claim 1, wherein each of the optical units comprises an ocular lens or lens group disposed to the eye side.

11. The binoculars with Micromirror Array Lens of claim 10, wherein the ocular lens group comprises at least one movable lens working as a variator to change magnification of the optical unit by changing position of the movable lens.

12. The binoculars with Micromirror Array Lens of claim 10, wherein the ocular lens group comprises at least one movable lens working as a compensator to maintain focus of the optical unit by changing position of the movable lens.

13. The binoculars with Micromirror Array Lens of claim 10, wherein the ocular lens group comprises at least one variable focus lens working as a variator to change magnification of the optical unit by changing the focal length of the variable focus lens.

14. The binoculars with Micromirror Array Lens of claim 10, wherein the ocular lens group comprises at least one variable focus lens working as a compensator to maintain focus of the optical unit by changing the focal length of the variable focus lens.

15. The binoculars with Micromirror Array Lens claim 1, wherein each of the optical units comprises an erect lens or lens group.

16. The binoculars with Micromirror Array Lens of claim 1, wherein each optical unit further comprises a beam splitter, wherein the beam splitter is disposed between the first reflective lens element and the second reflective lens element.

17. The binoculars with Micromirror Array Lens of claim 1, wherein the Micromirror Array Lens is configured to change focus of the optical unit by changing the optical surface profile of the Micromirror Array Lens.

18. The binoculars with Micromirror Array Lens of claim 1, wherein the Micromirror Array Lens is a variator configured to change magnification of the optical unit by changing the optical surface profile of the Micromirror Array Lens.

19. The binoculars with Micromirror Array Lens of claim 1, wherein the Micromirror Array Lens is a compensator configured to maintain focus of the optical unit by changing the optical surface profile of the Micromirror Array Lens.

20. The binoculars with Micromirror Array Lens of claim 1, wherein the first reflective lens element has an opening, wherein the light can pass through the first reflective lens element.

21. The binoculars with Micromirror Array Lens of claim 1, wherein the first reflective lens element is a first Micromirror Array Lens and the second reflective lens element is a second Micromirror Array Lens.

22. The binoculars with Micromirror Array Lens of claim 1, wherein the binoculars with Micromirror Array Lens comprise at least one viewer adjustment means, wherein viewer adjusts the optical surface profiles of the Micromirror Array Lenses by the viewer adjustment means.

23. The binoculars with Micromirror Array Lens of claim 1, wherein the distance between the optical units can be changed.

24. A pair of binoculars with Micromirror Array Lens having zoom function without macroscopic mechanical lens movement, wherein the binoculars comprise two optical units, wherein each of the optical units comprises a first Micromirror Array Lens and a second Micromirror Array Lens, wherein each Micromirror Array Lens comprises a plurality of micromirrors and is configured to have a plurality of optical surface profiles by controlling the motions of the micromirrors in the Micromirror Array Lens, wherein the first Micromirror Array Lens is configured to change magnification of the optical unit by changing the optical surface profile of the first Micromirror Array Lens, wherein the second Micromirror Array Lens is configured to maintain focus of the optical unit by changing the optical surface profile of the second Micromirror Array Lens.

25. A pair of binoculars with Micromirror Array Lens having focusing function without macroscopic mechanical lens movement, wherein the binoculars comprise two optical units, wherein each of the optical units comprises a mirror and a Micromirror Array Lens, wherein the Micromirror Array Lens is configured to have a plurality of optical surface profiles by controlling the motions of the micromirrors in the Micromirror Array Lens, wherein the Micromirror Array Lens is configured to change focus of the optical unit by changing the optical surface profile of the Micromirror Array Lens.