Optical filter using microlens arrays
First Claim
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1. An optical filter device comprised of:
- a first array of lenses arranged to approximate a first surface,a second array of lenses arranged to approximate a second surface, with each lens in said second array positioned approximately face to face with a corresponding lens in said first array such that the optical axis of the lens in said second array is colinear with the optical axis of the corresponding lens in said first array, each lens and its colinear corresponding lens forming an ensemble defining a pixel and separated by approximately the sum of their focal lengths, said first and second arrays sharing a common focal plane located between them, said arrangement of said first array and said second array defining a transflectorc) an electromagnetic wave modulating means herein called the smart layer, inserted at said common focal surface between said arrays, for modulating at least a portion of the electromagnetic wave passing through said device, combination of said smart layer and said transflector defining a smart transflector.
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Abstract
An optical filter device comprised of two parallel arrays of lenses. Each lens in the first array faces a lens in the second array to form a pixel. Lens pairs in a pixel are separated by the sum of their focal distances and include in their common focal surface a "smart" layer for modulating light passing through the focal surface. Preferred embodiments include car rear view mirrors, sunglasses, glasses for night driving, laser goggles, nuclear goggles, sun visors, sun shields, windshields, space suit helmet visors, optical instrument protection devices, window filters and energy conservation devices.
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Citations
78 Claims
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1. An optical filter device comprised of:
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a first array of lenses arranged to approximate a first surface, a second array of lenses arranged to approximate a second surface, with each lens in said second array positioned approximately face to face with a corresponding lens in said first array such that the optical axis of the lens in said second array is colinear with the optical axis of the corresponding lens in said first array, each lens and its colinear corresponding lens forming an ensemble defining a pixel and separated by approximately the sum of their focal lengths, said first and second arrays sharing a common focal plane located between them, said arrangement of said first array and said second array defining a transflector c) an electromagnetic wave modulating means herein called the smart layer, inserted at said common focal surface between said arrays, for modulating at least a portion of the electromagnetic wave passing through said device, combination of said smart layer and said transflector defining a smart transflector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78)
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48. A device as in claim I wherein said light modulating means modulates its own transmissivity for said light frequency or a different light frequency as a function of the intensity of said light.
Specification