Spherical lens and imaging device using the same

• US 5,004,328 A
• Filed: 09/25/1987
• Issued: 04/02/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hattori, Jun, Suzuki, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Sugarman, Scott J.
• Application Number:
  US07/103,126
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• Field of Search: 350/413, 350/416, 350/449
• US Class Current: 359/664
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/06 Panoramic objectives; So-called "sky lenses" including panoramic objectives having reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/16 for use in conjunction with image converters or intensifiers , or for use with projectors, e.g. objectives for projection TV
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0025 for optical correction, e.g. distorsion, aberration
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/00 Simple or compound lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/04 formed by bundles of fibres G02B6/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/10 for generating image signals from different wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/61 the noise originating only from the lens unit, e.g. flare, shading, vignetting or "cos4"
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/611 Correction of chromatic aberration

Abstract

A spherical lens includes a spherical shell-shaped lens composed of a medium of a refractive index n₁ and a sphere-shaped lens composed of a medium of a refractive index n₂ smaller than n₁, positioned inside the spherical shell-shaped lens to constitute a concentric sphere therewith. An imaging system includes a spherical lens, an imaging device having a light receiving surface curved along the curved image plane of the spherical lens and adapted to pick up the image formed by the spherical lens with the light receiving surface and a processor for processing image signals output from the imaging device. The imaging system may also include a bundle of light transmitting members, of which, light entrance ends are positioned along the curved image plane of the spherical lens and which are adapted to transmit an image, formed by the spherical lens, to the light exit ends thereof.

Claims

1. An imaging system comprising:

a spherical lens with a curved image plane formed by a spherical shell-shaped lens composed of a medium with a refractive index n₁ and a sphere-shaped lens composed of a medium with a refractive index n₂ that is smaller than n₁ (n₂ <

n₁) and positioned inside said spherical shell-shaped lens to constitute a concentric sphere therewith;

imaging means having a light-receiving surface curved along the curved image plane of said spherical lens and adapted to pick-up the image formed by said spherical lens with said light-receiving surface, wherein said spherical lens and imaging means are mutually movable along the optical axis; and

processing means for processing image signals output from said imaging means.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said spherical lens comprises a diaphragm on a plane passing through the center of the sphere.

3. An imaging system comprising:

a spherical lens with a curved image plane formed by a spherical shell-shaped lens composed of a medium with a refractive index n₁ and a sphere-shaped lens composed of a medium with a refractive index n₂ that is smaller than n₁ (n₂ <

n₁) and positioned inside said spherical shell-shaped lens to constitute a concentric sphere therewith;

a bundle of light transmitting members of which light entrance ends are positioned along the curved image plane of said spherical lens and which are adapted to transmit an image by said spherical lens to light exit ends thereof, wherein said spherical lens and entrance ends are mutually movable along the optical axis; and

imaging means having a light-receiving surface in the vicinity of said light exit ends of said bundle and adapted to pick-up said image with said light-receiving surface.

4. A system according to claim 3, further comprising process means for processing image signal obtained by said imaging means.

5. A system according to claim 3, wherein spherical lens comprises a diaphragm on a plane passing through the center of the sphere.

6. A system according to claim 3, wherein said bundle of members comprises optical fibers.

7. An imaging system comprising:

a spherical lens with a curved plane consisting of a homogeneous medium;

imaging means having a light-receiving surface curved along the curved image plane of said spherical lens and adapted to pick-up the image formed by said spherical lens with said light-receiving surface, wherein said spherical lens and imaging means are mutually movable along the optical axis; and

processing means for processing image signals output from said imaging means.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein said spherical lens comprises a diaphragm on a plane passing through the center of the sphere.

9. An imaging system comprising:

a spherical lens with a curved image plane consisting of a homogeneous medium;

a bundle of light transmitting members of which light entrance ends are positioned along the curved image plane of said spherical lens and which are adapted to transmit an image formed by said sperical lens to light exit ends thereof, wherein said spherical lens and entrance ends are mutually movable along the optical axis; and

imaging means having a light-receiving surface in the vicinity of said light exit ends of said bundle and adapted to pick-up said image with said light-receiving surface.

10. A system according to claim 9, further comprising process means for processing image signal obtained by said imaging means.

11. A system according to claim 9, wherein the spherical lens further comprises a diaphragm on a plane passing through the center of the sphere.

12. A system according to claim 9, wherein said bundle of light transmitting members comprises optical fibers.

13. An imaging system comprising:

a spherical lens with a curved image plane;

imaging means having a light-receiving surface curved along the curved image plane of said spherical lens and adapted to electrically pick-up the image formed by said spherical lens with said light-receiving surface, wherein said spherical lens and imagaing means are mutually movable along the optical axis; and

processing means for processing image signals output from said imaging means.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein said spherical lens comprises a diaphragm on a plane passing through the center of the sphere.

15. An imaging system comprising:

a spherical lens with a curved image plane;

photoelectric transfer means having a light-receiving surface curved along the curved image plane of said spherical lens and adapted to electrically pick-up the image formed by said spherical lens with said light-receiving surface, wherein said spherical lens and imaging means are mutually movable along the optical axis; and

processing means for processing image signals output from said photoelectric transfer means.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein said spherical lens comprises a diaphragm on a plane passing through the center of the sphere.