Electronic camera with binary lens element array
First Claim
1. An electronic camera comprising:
- a housing;
a photosensor array that is supported by the housing and includes;
a plurality of lenses for focusing light indicative of an image onto a semiconductor substrate;
a plurality of photosensors disposed on said semiconductor substrate for receiving the light indicative of said image such that the photosensors in aggregation receive substantially all of the light indicative of said image;
wherein the photosensors generate electronic signals indicative of said image;
a signal converter for converting the electronic signals into a camera video signal;
a display unit supported in said housing for displaying a received video signal;
wherein said display unit is a liquid crystal panel;
wherein said photosensor array is substantially transparent; and
the liquid crystal display panel is disposed behind and visible through the photosensor array.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic camera includes a photosensor array that is supported by a housing. The photosensor array includes a plurality of binary diffractive lens elements for forming a substantially identical light image on laterally spaced areas of a surface respectively. A plurality of photosensors are disposed on the surface within the laterally spaced areas for receiving different portions of the light image respectively such that the photosensors in aggregation receive substantially all of the light image. The photosensors can have constant spacings therebetween, and the lenses have spacings therebetween that increase away from a predetermined point in the array. Alternatively, the lenses can have constant spacings therebetween, and the photosensors have spacings therebetween that increase away from a predetermined point in the array. As another alternative, the lenses and the photosensors can have constant spacings therebetween, and the lenses have focal points with spacings therebetween that increase away from a predetermined point in the array. The camera further includes a liquid crystal panel that is supported by the housing for displaying a received video signal. The photosensor array is substantially transparent, and the liquid crystal panel is disposed behind and visible through the photosensor array.
95 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An electronic camera comprising:
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a housing; a photosensor array that is supported by the housing and includes; a plurality of lenses for focusing light indicative of an image onto a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of photosensors disposed on said semiconductor substrate for receiving the light indicative of said image such that the photosensors in aggregation receive substantially all of the light indicative of said image; wherein the photosensors generate electronic signals indicative of said image; a signal converter for converting the electronic signals into a camera video signal; a display unit supported in said housing for displaying a received video signal; wherein said display unit is a liquid crystal panel; wherein said photosensor array is substantially transparent; and the liquid crystal display panel is disposed behind and visible through the photosensor array. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An electronic camera, comprising:
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a housing; a photosensor array that is supported by the housing and includes; a plurality of lenses for focusing light indicative of an image onto a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of photosensors disposed on said semiconductor substrate for receiving the light indicative of said image such that the photosensors in aggregation receive substantially all of the light indicative of said image; wherein the photosensors generate electronic signals indicative of said image; a signal converter for converting the electronic signals into a camera video signal; a display unit supported in said housing for displaying a received video signal; wherein said display unit is a liquid crystal panel; wherein said liquid crystal panel has a transparent state; the photosensor array is disposed behind and capable of being imaged through the liquid crystal panel when the liquid crystal panel is in said transparent state; the photosensor array is substantially transparent; and the electronic camera further comprises, illuminating means for backlighting the liquid crystal panel through the photosensor array. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. An electronic camera, comprising:
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a housing; a photosensor array that is supported by the housing and includes; a plurality of lenses for focusing light indicative of an image onto a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of photosensors disposed on said semiconductor substrate for receiving the light indicative of said image such that the photosensors in aggregation receive substantially all of the light indicative of said image; wherein the photosensors generate electronic signals indicative of said image; a signal converter for converting the electronic signals into a camera video signal; a display unit supported in said housing for displaying a received video signal; wherein said display unit is a liquid crystal panel; wherein said photosensor array is substantially transparent; the liquid crystal panel is disposed between the lenses and the photosensors; the lenses are substantially transparent such that the liquid crystal display is capable of being viewed through the lenses; the liquid crystal panel has a transparent state; the photosensor array is disposed behind and capable of being imaged through the liquid crystal panel when the liquid crystal panel is in said transparent state; and the electronic camera further comprises, illuminating means for backlighting the liquid crystal panel through the photosensor array.
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Specification