Multiple Operating Mode Optical Instrument
First Claim
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1. An optical instrument comprising:
- a hand-held housing;
three video cameras configured in the hand-held housing that are operable to generate three images on an eyepiece configured in the housing, each image contiguously aligned with one another along their sides to form a panoramic image on the eyepiece;
a first movable mirror operable to selectively reflect light from an objective lens to one of the three video cameras while in a first position and allow light from the objective lens to proceed to the eyepiece while in a second position, the one camera centrally disposed between the two other video cameras;
a second movable mirror operable to reflect light from a display to the eyepiece while in the first position and allow light to proceed from the objective lens to the eyepiece while in the second position.an image intensifying device optically coupled to an objective lens through a third movable mirror, the movable mirror operable to reflect light from the objective lens to the image intensifying device while in a third position and allow light to pass from the objective lens to the one video camera while in a fourth position.
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Abstract
According to one embodiment, an optical instrument includes a hand-held housing that houses multiple optical devices and an eyepiece. The optical devices are configured to generate a corresponding multiple number of images on the eyepiece such that each image is contiguously aligned with one another along their sides to form a panoramic image on the eyepiece.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. An optical instrument comprising:
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a hand-held housing; three video cameras configured in the hand-held housing that are operable to generate three images on an eyepiece configured in the housing, each image contiguously aligned with one another along their sides to form a panoramic image on the eyepiece; a first movable mirror operable to selectively reflect light from an objective lens to one of the three video cameras while in a first position and allow light from the objective lens to proceed to the eyepiece while in a second position, the one camera centrally disposed between the two other video cameras; a second movable mirror operable to reflect light from a display to the eyepiece while in the first position and allow light to proceed from the objective lens to the eyepiece while in the second position. an image intensifying device optically coupled to an objective lens through a third movable mirror, the movable mirror operable to reflect light from the objective lens to the image intensifying device while in a third position and allow light to pass from the objective lens to the one video camera while in a fourth position.
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2. An optical instrument comprising:
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a hand-held housing; and a plurality of optical devices configured in the hand-held housing that are operable to generate a corresponding plurality of images on an eyepiece configured in the housing, each image contiguously aligned with one another along their sides to form a panoramic image on the eyepiece. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method comprising:
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generating, on an eyepiece, a plurality of images using a plurality of optical devices configured in a hand-held housing that houses the eyepiece; and contiguously aligning each of the plurality of images with one another along their sides to form a panoramic image on the eyepiece. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification