IMAGE DIVERSION SYSTEMS & METHODS FOR IMAGE CAPTURE DEVICES

• US 20110043683A1
• Filed: 04/16/2010
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: iOculi, Inc.
• Original Assignee: iOculi, Inc.
• Inventors: Johnston, Kyle, Cowles, Ai Thi-Khiem, Cowles, Jonathan D., Beach, Kirk W.
• Application Number:
  US12/744,456
• Publication Number:
  US 20110043683A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/373
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/001 Miniaturised objectives for electronic devices, e.g. portable telephones, webcams, PDAs, small digital cameras G02B23/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/0065 having a beam-folding prism or mirror
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/008 Systems specially adapted to form image relays or chained systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/026 having static image erecting or reversing properties only G02B17/045 takes precedence; optical derotators G02B27/642; optical devices for controlling the direction of light using movable or deformable optical elements G02B26/08
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/045 having static image erecting or reversing properties only optical derotators G02B27/642; optical devices for controlling the direction of light using movable or deformable optical elements G02B26/08
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0123 comprising devices increasing the field of view
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0154 with movable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/06 the relative position of the fibres being the same at both ends, e.g. for transporting images

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems and methods that divert images for image capture devices. An image diversion system includes a housing, at least one reflective surface within the housing, and a mounting mechanism. The housing is adapted to mount onto an existing image capture device. The at least one reflective surface can divert the image that is captured by the image capture device when the housing is mounted on the image capture device. Another image diversion system also includes at least one total internal reflection (TIR) element that can divert the image that is captured by the image capture device when the housing is mounted on the image capture device. A method provides a housing, at least one reflective and/or refractive surface within the housing, and a mounting mechanism.

Claims

1. An image diversion system located within an image capture device or adapted to attach to an existing image capture device comprising at least one reflective surface wherein said at least one reflective surface can divert the image that is captured by said image capture device or said existing image capture device and wherein if adapted to attach to said existing image capture device, said image diversion system is located within a housing comprising a mounting mechanism to mount said housing to said existing image capture device.

2. An image diversion system according to claim 1 wherein said image capture device or said existing image capture device is selected from the group consisting of a multi-purpose personal device, a cell phone, a digital camera, a video camera, and a conventional film camera.

3. An image diversion system according to claim 1 wherein said image diversion system comprises contains three reflective surfaces.

4. An image diversion system according to claim 1 wherein said reflective surfaces divert said image by 180°

.

5. An image diversion system according to claim 1 wherein said housing is pivotally mounted to said existing image capture device.

32. A system according to claim 1 wherein said system maintains a field of view of at least 10°

, at least 20°

, at least 30°

, at least 40°

, or at least 50°

.

34. An image diversion system according to claim 1 wherein said system is adapted to mount onto glasses, ski goggles, scuba gear or snorkeling gear.

6. A method for diverting the image captured by an image capture device comprising:

providing a housing, at least one reflective surface within said housing and a mounting mechanism wherein said housing is adapted to mount onto an existing image capture device and wherein said at least one reflective surface can divert the image that is captured by said image capture device when said housing is mounted on said image capture device.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein said system is adapted to mount onto and divert the image captured by an existing device selected from the group consisting of a multi-purpose personal device, a cell phone, a digital camera, a video camera, and a conventional film camera.

8. A method according to claim 6 wherein said housing contains three reflective surfaces.

9. A method according to claim 6 wherein said reflective surfaces divert said image by 180°

.

36. A method according to claim 6 wherein said method maintains a field of view of at least 10°

, at least 20°

, at least 30°

, at least 40°

, or at least 50°

.

10. An image diversion system located within an image capture device or adapted to attach to an existing image capture device comprising at least one total internal reflection (TIR) element wherein said at least one TIR element can divert the image that is captured by said image capture device or said existing image capture device and wherein if adapted to attach to said existing image capture device, said image diversion system is located within a housing comprising a mounting mechanism to mount said housing to said existing image capture device.

11. An image diversion system according to claim 10 wherein said image capture device or said existing image capture device is selected from the group consisting of a multi-purpose personal device, a cell phone, a digital camera, a video camera, and a conventional film camera.

12. An image diversion system according to claim 10 wherein said TIR element is a prism.

13. An image diversion system according to claim 12 wherein said prism is a “

roof”

prism or a right-angled prism.

15. An image diversion system according to claim 10 wherein said image diversion system comprises at least one additional TIR element.

16. An image diversion system according to claim 15 wherein said at least one additional TIR element can divert said image by 180°

.

17. An image diversion system according to claim 10 wherein said image diversion system comprises at least one reflective surface.

18. An image diversion system according to claim 17 wherein said combination of TIR elements and reflective surfaces can divert said image by 180°

.

19. An image diversion system according to claim 10 wherein said image diversion system comprises at least one corrective lens.

20. An image diversion system according to claim 10 wherein said housing is pivotally mounted to said existing image capture device.

35. An image diversion system according to claim 10 wherein said system is adapted to mount onto glasses, ski goggles, scuba gear or snorkeling gear.

37. A system according to claim 10 wherein said system maintains a field of view of at least 10°

, at least 20°

, at least 30°

, at least 40°

, or at least 50°

.

14. (canceled)

21. A method for controlling parity of an image, the method comprising:

receiving an image of an object at an input aperture of an image diversion system, said input image having a parity about vertical and horizontal axes relative to said input aperture, said image diversion system comprising an output aperture; and

providing said input image to said output aperture, wherein a parity of said output image is similar to said parity of said input image about at least one axis.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein said image diversion system is adapted to mount onto an existing image capture device having an input aperture, said method comprising providing said output image to said input aperture of said image capture device, wherein said parity of said output image is similar to said parity of said input image about at least one axis.

23. A method according to claim 21, comprising diverting said image within said image diversion system by at least one reflective surface.

24. A method according to claim 23, comprising forming an intermediate image of said object by said at least one reflective surface, said intermediate image being formed along an optical path defined within said image diversion system between said input and said output apertures of said image diversion system.

25. A method according to claim 24, comprising providing said output image to said output aperture with full parity about said horizontal axis and about said vertical axis relative to said input image.

26. A method according to claim 23, wherein said diverting comprises diverting said image within said image diversion system by at least one prism.

27. A method according to claim 23, comprising simultaneously reflecting and inverting said image by said at least one reflective surface, wherein said at least one reflective surface is a roof prism.

28. A method according to claim 21, wherein providing said image of said object to said output aperture comprises providing said image of said object to said output aperture with a field of view of at least 10°

, at least 20°

, at least 30°

, at least 40°

, or at least 50°

.

31. A method according to claim 21, wherein receiving said image of an object at said input aperture of said image diversion system comprises receiving said image of said object at said input aperture of said image diversion system from anyone of a top, bottom, and either side relative to said input aperture.

29. (canceled)

30. (canceled)

33. (canceled)