Wavefront coding zoom lens imaging systems
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An improved zoom lens system for imaging an object comprising:
- a detector;
a lens system between the object and the detector comprising at least two lenses;
wavefront coding optics between the object and the detector;
said wavefront coding optics being constructed and arranged to alter an optical transfer function of the zoom lens system in such a way that the optical transfer function is substantially less sensitive to focus related aberrations than an unaltered optical transfer function, wherein the wavefront coding optics alters the optical transfer function substantially by affecting phase of light transmitted by the optics; and
a post processing element for processing the image captured by the detector by reverse altering the optical transfer function accomplished by the optics.
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Abstract
A wide-angle zoom lens with as few as two plastic elements codes the wavefront produced by the imaging system such that the imaging system is substantially invariant to aberrations related to misfocus. Signal processing is used to decode the wavefront to form the final image. A first type of zoom lens configuration uses as few as two lens elements. In this type, image processing may be modified to take into account the positioning of the lenses.
175 Citations
29 Claims
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1. An improved zoom lens system for imaging an object comprising:
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a detector;
a lens system between the object and the detector comprising at least two lenses;
wavefront coding optics between the object and the detector;
said wavefront coding optics being constructed and arranged to alter an optical transfer function of the zoom lens system in such a way that the optical transfer function is substantially less sensitive to focus related aberrations than an unaltered optical transfer function, wherein the wavefront coding optics alters the optical transfer function substantially by affecting phase of light transmitted by the optics; and
a post processing element for processing the image captured by the detector by reverse altering the optical transfer function accomplished by the optics. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for reducing focus related aberrations in images formed by a zoom lens system comprising the steps of:
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modifying a wavefront of transmitted light between the object to be imaged and a detector for capturing an image of the object;
the step of modifying comprising the step of altering an optical transfer function of the zoom lens system in such a way that the optical transfer function is substantially less sensitive to focus related aberrations than an unaltered optical transfer function; and
post processing the image captured by the detector by reverse altering the optical transfer function accomplished by the optics. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. In a zoom lens system for imaging an object to an image with variable focal length, the improvement comprising:
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a wavefront coding optical element for modifying a phase function of an optical transfer function to increase a depth of focus of the image;
a post processing element for processing the image to modify phase function effects induced by the wavefront coding element in the image so as to generate a final image of the object. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A zoom lens imaging system, comprising:
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a detector;
a plurality of lens elements for imaging an object onto the detector, at least one of the lens elements being moveable to modify a focal length of the zoom lens imaging system;
wavefront coding optics for modifying phase of an optical wavefront between the object and the detector;
a post processor connected with the detector for post processing images from the detector to generate a final image by reversing phase effects induced by the wavefront coding optics. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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Specification